RSS feedThe Homeless World Cup 2006
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This year is the first time the contest is being held in a developing country, where homelessness is usually related to poverty or war rather than the addiction problems of Europe and North America.
Teams from 48 nations as diverse as Afghanistan, Australia, Britain, Sweden, the United States, Liberia and Zimbabwe are taking part in this year’s games.
The rationale behind the event is to instill a sense of pride and discipline in the players through being part of a team and to help them overcome problems in their regular lives. And the organizers say it works: 77% of players involved significantly change their lives forever. Players like Sada Uzumakunda, who lost her family in Rwanda’s 1994 genocide and ended up as an alcoholic street girl. Or Daniel Martinez, whose world fell apart when his father died and who found a new “home” by qualifying for the U.S. squad.
The games feature four players on each side, playing on asphalt, with hockey-like boards and small goals. Age is not an issue: the youngest on the U.S. team is 16 and the oldest 40. The matches are recorded on cameras and can be viewed on the organization’s website