Tom Messenger

Two years in the making.  Monday was the day the first ever international match between street children took place.  The opening game of the Deloitte Street Child World Cup was between South Africa and India, a fitting first match, as it was between the hosts and the country that has more street children than any other.  The atmosphere was breathtaking.  2,000 people took their seats in the Fred Crookes Arena at the Durban University of Technology and the place was rocking with drums and vuvuzela’s adding to the noise.  It was honestly one of the best atmospheres I’ve ever experienced, just pure joy and celebration as the children took to the pitch.

Before the matches we had the opening ceremony, I walked out with the Indian team to a wall of noise.  It was a great moment, and what the tournament is all about.  Taking these kids who have been downtrodden their whole lives and making them feel like heroes.

The Indians are the team that I am helping with through the tournament, so it was great to see them take to the field first.  They’re a good team, well organised and very skillful, they’re one of the stronger teams for sure so it wasn’t a surprise to see them brush aside the South African team 4-0.  Even that score didn’t dampen the crowd’s enthusiasm and they were incredible throughout, throwing their support behind the Filipino team in particular in their match against the UK.  The UK team are much bigger and stronger than the majority of the other teams and dwarfed the Phillipines side, but the Filipino’s were not phased by that and fought hard, keeping the score to 0-0 at half time, but eventually losing 4-2.

After the matches we went to the Star Seaside Home where the teams are staying and saw the Nicaraguans perform at traditional dance before the teams had time to unwind and also to spend time with the artists, sharing their experiences of street life in different, creative ways.

Tuesday we all went to a Durban school in the morning to use their pitch to train on, and also to meet local school children.  I was again with the Indian team at New West Secondary where they were met by an Indian dance which they joined in with, and then were given specialist coaching from coaches from the charity Coaching for Hope.  However, one of the most memorable moments of the last couple of weeks came in the classroom afterwards.  Artists from Momentum Arts took a lesson and the Indian children and school children spent time drawing each other and finding out basic information with one another, there was no common language so it was hard for them but the managed it and really began to bond.  By the end of the lesson the teachers were sat back as the kids entered into their own cultural experience sharing games and songs with each other.  They got to their feet for each other’s national anthems, it was really quite emotional.  I sat at the side with Bal, a London based football coach who partners with the project in India.  I told him that it was hard for me to imagine that these guys are street children, they’re so sociable and cheerful, and so at home in this environment with school children.  His response to that was simply this: “This is the first time they have ever been allowed to be children”.

The afternoon was back to DUT for more football.  Tanzania beat Brazil, which sparked wild celebrations amongst the Tanzanian contingent.  To beat Brazil at any level of football is an incredible achievement.  The home crowd was given reason to celebrate as the South Africans got their first goals and win against the Ukraine, winning 4-1.  The Indian side had their second game, and despite controlling the game and creating by far the most chances against Nicaragua, they lost 1-0.  The team were despondent over dinner, we struggled to lift them as we ate, their next game is against the Ukraine which is one they really should win.  The coaches reminded them of how far they’ve already come.  They’ve made history by being here, no Indian team has ever played in any football world cup, and they played in the first ever street child game, scoring the first goal.

With the majority of teams arriving on Friday and the UK and Tanzanian teams following on Saturday, the weekend was a period of adjustment and acclimatisation for the teams.  The Ukrainians certainly seemed to have the biggest culture shock as they arrived in the Durban sun with their fur coats!  These are kids that shelter from the cold by living underground near the heating pipes.  Amazingly though, they have coped so well with their new surroundings, and even seem to have struck up a rapport with the Filipino side, it’s difficult to imagine how they are communicating, Tagalog and Russian are not languages with much in common, but there are friendships being made around all the teams despite the language barriers.

On Saturday morning we took the six teams who arrived during the week to a game reserve.  As well as the teams other kids from Umthombo came along too.  It really brought home the reality of the situation for some of these South African kids as they climbed on the coach and went to sleep.  They wouldn’t have slept over night, needing to be vigilant as they slept on the streets, and the coach seats would have probably been the most comfortable place they would have been since yesterday.  The trip to the game reserve was a welcome respite for them from the reality of the streets.

I travelled around the game reserve with the India team, it was great to see their excitement as seeing new animals.  Their coaches were almost more excited than the kids at seeing the zebras, giraffes, rhinos and other animals.

Once back from the safari, Harri and I went with the Indian team to a Sikh temple.  It was a fascinating experience, on the way we wandered around a Hare Krishna temple, it was very elaborate, and they gave us something sweet to drink on our way out.  Once at the Sikh temple I borrowed a head scarf from one of the guys on the team and took my shoes off and went and sat down with the team.  They were so welcoming and hospitable, giving us snacks and drinks on arrival, and then feeding us with daal, veggie curry, and flatbread after the service, they were insistent that we ate plenty!  They even asked me to say a few words in the ceremony, I spoke about the situation for street kids and the importance of the Street Child World Cup in giving them a voice so people will begin to recognise their rights.  I certainly did not expect to be speaking in a Sikh temple when I came to Durban!

Sunday was another full day.  It began with an early start and then a training session at Durban University of Technology, where the matches will be played.  Gary Mabbut lead the training sessions and it was a great chance for us to see what shape each team was in before the tournament started.  It’s very difficult to call who will win, but I think the Indian team I’ve been spending time with has a great chance of doing well, they’re technically good and very well organised.

After training it was back to the Star Seaside home where the teams are staying.  We then took everyone to the beach, it was a manic but unforgettable scene.  Eighty street children from five continents were playing in the sea and on the sand, I think it’s safe to say that nothing like that has ever happened before.  In the evening things began to gather momentum as the draw was made.  Gary Mabbut was on hand again to conduct it, and it was a good one for India as they will play in the opening game against the South African hosts.  Also in their group (Group B) is the Ukraine and Nicaragua.  Group A contains Brazil, Philippines, Tanzania, and the UK.  This was greeted with much excitement by the Filipinos as they will be the first team from their country ever to play against a Brazilian side.

Now the football begins!

It’s now Monday morning, the opening game of the first ever Street Child World Cup is a few hours away.  It’s happening, 8 teams of disadvantaged children from around the world are here, each with their own journey and story.  The last few days have been completely chaotic, and my plan to write on here each day has been thwarted by the busy-ness of it all!  So now I’ve got the task of summarising the last few days in a couple of posts!  It’s certainly safe to say that it’s been unforgettable, I’ve done and seen things I never would have imagined

Tuesday and Wednesday of this week were mostly filled with different tasks, like putting up banners and decorating the place the kids were staying.  In amongst all that there was time spent with some of the South African street children, including a football match against the SA team for the world cup. We drew 8-8, in front of watching photographers and journalists.  Very unusually for me my best moments came in my short stint in goal, saving a few shots and then a couple of penalties in a shoot-out.  All that in 30 degree heat, it was unbearably hot. The kids are amazing, good footballers but also incredibly fun to be around. The Brazillian team arrived that afternoon, I missed it as I was on cooking duty that evening but apparently as they arrived the SA kids started dancing and then they all danced together, Brazillians with their samba and the South African kids break dancing. I wish I  could have been there, it sounded like a beautiful moment.

On Friday four more teams arrived.  The Nicaraguans and Ukrainians in the morning and the Indians and Filipinos in the afternoon.  Part of my through this event is to look after the Indian team along with a fellow volunteer, Harriet.  So we went to the airport and welcomed them, cheering and waving their flag as they came through the terminal.  They had travelled over 40 hours to get from the Punjab region all the way to Durban, so understandably they were shattered and headed off to bed soon after arriving.

During dinner I chatted with Craig, one of the managers of the team from the Philippines.  I have followed the journey of the Filipino team with interest in my time in the office, and to see them finally here was a special moment for me.  As recently as two weeks ago two of their team had been denied permission to travel by their government, as they couldn’t find birth certificates for them. These two kids have been transformed in the process of preparing for the trip, so telling them they couldn’t travel was a heartbreaking prospect.   Unbelievably though as they were working out how to break this news to the kids, the government changed their mind and gave them passports and visas.  The prayers of the organisers had been answered, and the team is now known as the Philippines Miracle Team.  Craig was beaming all through dinner, for him this is a dream come true, and he was describing it as the greatest moment of his life.  There has never been a Filipino team that has received more attention in the press than the one competing in the Street Child World Cup, this event has caught the imagination of that country, take a look at these articles:

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view/20100309-257520/Kicking-with-their-wings-RP-kids-seek-fame-in-Africa

http://sports.inquirer.net/youthsports/youthsports/view/20100309-257517/World-Cup-stint-for-11-Pinoy-street-kids

Today was, like the last couple of days, both memorable and completely chaotic!  We awoke this morning and were all ready to leave at 8.15 to go to Safe Space.  Today was a key point in the build up to Street Child World Cup, the press conference.  Many people from the South African media assembled at safe space to hear what the Deloitte Street Child World Cup is all about.

On arrival we were put to work, continuing the cleaning and office rearranging that begun yesterday, and preparing the rooms for the press.  It was great, like yesterday to see everyone: staff, volunteers, and street children getting involved and working together to help make it happen.  The conference was a success, giving the journalists plenty of material with which to tell the nation what we are doing.  The most amazing part for me was when Andile, the captain of South Africa’s team in the tournament, spoke.  He spoke in his native tongue Zulu, but even if I couldn’t understand the words I could tell he was confident and eloquent.  To see a street child speaking so calmly and clearly, and with so much to say sent out exactly the right message, that street children are not silent, they have a voice and they need to be heard.

Once the cameras and microphones had gone we remained at safe space for a little while spending time with the kids.  Sam and I did kick-ups with some of the kids, whilst other volunteers offered them the opportunity to have their faces painted.  The children even went to the beach and surfed with the paint still on their face!  So what began as a day where the media guys in suits came ended with some of the children running around with flags and animals painted on their faces.  I think it’s the kind of contrast we will begin to get used to!

Sunday was a day when all plans went firmly out of the window.  The aim was that it was a day where we, the volunteers, visited the different venues that would be used in the event and generally get to know the area.  The day started with a trip to the beach with Wes and Ben.  As usual the sun was hot and the water was perfect temperature.

As we were walking back from the beach we were met by John Wroe who told us to head back to the hostel, get changed so we could quickly head over to Umthombo’s safe space.  Umthombo is an organisation which provides social and therapeutic care for street children.  They have a building in Durban called safe space where kids can come and play, watch tv, and spend time with social workers.  In general Umthombo is liked and respected as an organisation, their approach works, kids are leaving the streets faster than they are arriving in Durban, and this is partly to do with Umthombo’s therapeutic programs.  There are a few people who don’t like what Umthombo do, however, and one of them has been making an effort to undermine them in recent days.  The latest tactic was to try and get safe space shut down on grounds of safety.

This meant that we had to act fast to ensure that safe space would not just meet but exceed any inspection that might take place, so the late morning/early afternoon was spent moving furniture, putting up signs, and generally tidying up.  It was hard work especially in the heat, but it was great to see volunteers from the UK, Umthombo’s South African staff, and the street kids working together to overcome this problem.

So that left us with a lot less time to visit the different venues for Street Child World Cup.  In the mid afternoon we left Safe Space and headed over to a township called Umlazi.  Living in Umlazi is Mxolisi, the creative co-ordinator at Umthombo, his role is to enable these kids to express themselves through art, helping them to deal with the trauma that street life brings.  He has a big role in the Street Child World Cup, as the arts program will be a big focus as we try and tell the stories of the kids whilst overcoming language barriers.

Visiting Umlazi was an incredible experience, townships are often viewed with  fear by white South Africans, but the people of Umlazi could not have been more welcoming.  We were given a tour of the place by local teenagers.  I spent most of the walk talking to Clive, a 19 year old who was a talented artist, and apparently a very good goalkeeper as well.  To hear him talk of his hopes and dreams was really humbling as I realised how privileged I am to have the opportunities I do.  It’s incredible that despite the racial tensions in South Africa, and the suspicion with which black communities are viewed by the white communities, they just wanted to welcome us to their homes, and they were so thankful that we took the time to visit and take an interest.

We stayed at Umlazi chatting with them for a few hours and by the time we left it was too late to do anything other than head back to the hostel for food.  Wes and Alice cooked up a braai for us on the rooftop barbecue, and we spent the evening at the bar chatting about the day.

I left London on Friday and arrived at lunchtime on the Saturday, relieved to be there!  I spent much of the last few weeks worrying that I wouldn’t make it as the BA Cabin crew threatened strike action (this still may affect my return flights, hopefully it won’t…).  I was standby too so there’s always the worry that the plane will be full and in addition I was given the football socks and shorts for all the kids, it meant I was overladen with baggage but was let on the plane without paying any extra!

I was struck even as we were flying over Durban of the beauty of the place.  I didn’t expect it to be so green.  Two other volunteers for the project, Phoebe and Harriet, arrived at a similar time so they and Jenny, the project manager were waiting for me in the terminal.  We piled into Jenny’s tiny rental car with all our bags and the football kit and drove to the Happy Hippo hostel, my home for the next 3 weeks.

Of course the first thing that Phoebe and Harriet and I did once we arrived was change into swimming gear and head to the beach.  The 30 degree sun beating down was a far cry from the weather in the UK that I’d left less than a day before.  We got to the beach by walking through uShaka Marine world, a water park and shopping centre.  Surely a far cry from the Durban that the street children know.

By the evening a few more volunteers had flown in and a few other members of our team who had got here before me surfaced too, we shared dinner and our hopes for the next two weeks.  All of us are a little unsure of what’s to come… nothing like the Street Child World Cup has ever been done before.  The rest of the evening was passed in the rooftop bar of our hostel, we watched football, drank together, and continued getting to know each other.  Even at half strength it’s a great team.  It’s exciting to imagine what might happen.

I have been incredibly slack at keeping this updated, I guess I’ll excuse myself by saying it’s all been a bit too hectic for me to sit and write regular updates.

The Street Child World Cup project has been gathering momentum at an unbelievable pace.  I write this from Durban in a rare moment of calm after a hectic day.  I should have written this earlier because details will be lost, but I’ll try and give a flavour of my last few months in this short blog.

Firstly, the day to day experience was undoubtedly incredible.  It was certainly intense, the office is a small one, only 5 full time members of staff trying to put together a global event is a big ask, but when a place is full of exceptional and passionate people all pulling in the same direction a lot can be achieved.  My role throughout was varied.  Keeping the website up to date was a key ongoing one.  The other was just to respond to emails, not the most glamorous role, but a necessary one!  I also attended meetings with people from around the world, all involved in fascinating projects.  I also spent a lot of time communicating with volunteers heading out to Durban and with various different media people, both of these became more frequent as the event drew nearer.  A role unique to that job was also helping administate an event at 11 Downing Street.

Having an opportunity to go to Downing Street is one I will never forget, it’s once
in a lifetime.  Especially in this context.  On February 11th we launched the Deloitte Street Child World Cup.  The launch was hosted kindly by Alistair and Maggie Darling, whose daughter has visited Umthombo, our South African hosts.  It was a truly unique event.  The team representing the UK, which comes from the M13 youth project in Manchester was present, and they had the honour of taking part in a penalty shootout against England legend David Seaman.  This was also filmed by Blue Peter who will be accompanying us to Durban.

In the reception afterwards guests from all around the world of football, media, business, and charity were present.  Most excitingly for me was the presence of Spurs players past and present.  Gary Mabbutt, who is the UK ambassador to the FIFA World Cup, and also an ex-Tottenham captain, and Wilson Palacios, current Spurs and Honduras player represented us well!  It was great to talk to Mabbutt about all things Spurs, he’s a great guy and he will also be coming over to South Africa to take part in the Street Child World Cup project.  Palacios too was really warm and humble, I sent many emails and phone calls to Tottenham asking for them to send a representative, and it was great that Wilson agreed to attend.

Gary Mabbutt and Wilson Palacios

That was undoubtedly the highlight, but there were others, including going to a function at Wembley stadium and sitting with all the PFA bosses talking football and Street Child World Cup with them, and having an article published in a magazine, also seeing the media interest in the event rise and watching out for our name in newspapers and on TV has been a lot of fun.  It’s all a precursor though to the main event which happens in a matter of days.  I can’t wait!