Street Child World Cup 2018 : validating street children

In May 2018, a team of nine girls selected from around 50 beneficiaries will participate in the SCWC (Street Children World Cup) to be held in Russia. Indradev Curpen
SAFIRE, with the support of the Ministry of Youth and Sports, conducted the official launch of the Street Child World Cup 2018 (SCWC) on Saturday 27th January at the François Blaquart National Center in Réduit.

To mark the launch, the Minister of Youth and Sports, Stephan Toussaint, Senior Sports Officer, Dev Putty, former DTN football, Akbar Patel and members of the SAFIRE Executive Committee were present.

Edley Maurer, director of SAFIRE who led the ceremony, claimed that he was very satisfied with the motivation and enthusiasm of the beneficiaries to participate in this global event and that it will open great opportunities for their future.

Minister Stephan Toussaint, on his part, declared that he was amazed by this project and the action taken by the organization for children in street situations in Mauritius. Addressing the beneficiaries present, he reminded them that they will represent their homeland and will therefore play an important role for the image of the country and the cause of street children that they will advocate.

The competition will be held as a prelude to the FIFA World Cup. This international campaign organized by Street Child United (SCU) aims to promote the rights of children in street situations. This football tournament, an art festival and an SCU congress modeled on the United Nations, will advocate the cause of street children.

A ‘test-tournament’ was organized last year in Moscow by an international sponsor of the SCWC inviting teams of street children worldwide and that of SAFIRE to participate. The SAFIRE’s team, which participated in the tournament, was champion in the ‘Under 13’ category.

About SCWC 2018

The Street Child World Cup 2018 is a global campaign for the rights of street children. Through football, art and a unique international street child conference, the aim is to challenge the negative perceptions and treatment of street children.

In 2010, street children from across the world represented their countries at the first SCWC held in Durban, South Africa. Their stories changed people’s perceptions and understanding of street children globally.

‘Children call for change’, the Durban Declaration, was presented to the UN Committee on Human Rights, and to national governments. Their voices amplified local campaigns for an end to policies that brutalized street children. The build-up and the impact of the tournament led to new partnerships between NGOs and local governments and the event transformed the children’s lives.

In 2014, street children from 16 countries around the world came together in Brazil for the second Street Child World Cup. By taking part in the tournament they had added their voices to an international campaign to provide hope for the millions of children who still live or work on the streets.

SAFIRE, which took part in this global campaign, represented Mauritius in Rio in April 2014 and a team of nine of their beneficiaries with whom SAFIRE has been working for the past seven years has been sent to Brazil in the 2014 Rio Street Child World Cup. It was a great opportunity for them to meet with other street children, tell their stories and make sure the world’s media and policymakers know what needs to change.

The Budget

The overall budget for the participation to the Street Child World Cup in Moscow in 2018 is around Rs 1,400,000. SAFIRE is looking for sponsors that may help to finance the project or to provide equipment support for the team that will participate. For more information you may contact them on 433 43 71 or by email.

Appeal

On a personal note, Mehdi Bhundun, the communication officer of SAFIRE, says: “I would like to add that the SCWC is something that the whole nation should be aware of and to be so, we need the support of many sponsors and partners. The children we are about to send to Moscow are going abroad for the first time, they will get to meet children from countries all over the world and this is an opportunity for them to learn and discover what other children haven’t got the chance to see and live. We are giving the opportunity among our 50 girls we take care of to participate in a rigorous selection process with the help of professionals.

What we can observe is that during these pre-selection activities, our beneficiaries are showing an immense satisfaction and motivation demonstrating out their talents and skills.
That is why this international competition needs to be known not only nationwide but internationally for people to become aware of the situations of street children in different countries. We must also show the world that every child counts and has got a talent which we must help him/her to express and to promote their basic rights.

According to our study in 2012, we estimated 6,780 children in street conditions in Mauritius and this number is continuously growing. In our opinion, if poverty and unemployment still increase, there will always be the problem of street children.

We- NGO’s, government, partners and sponsors, and the public need to work together so as to keep a proactive and sensitized society for the respect of the rights of the Mauritian child.”