Every four years the likes of Ronaldinho, Ronaldo and Drogba take to the pitch for one of the most watched sporting events in the world: The World Cup. However, for the more than 1 billion people living without adequate housing (as reported by the International Press Service) it’s the annual Homeless World Cup (HWC) event that offers the most hope and inspiration.
For homeless and financially troubled individuals, participation in the HWC is both an opportunity to showcase top talent as well as help participants get back on their feet. According to the HWC’s Web site, an average of 77 percent of players have improved their lives by coming off addictions and retaining jobs, education, housing and family connections. Some HWC participants have even gone on to pursue careers as players and coaches.
As a founding partner of the HWC, which began in 2003, Nike has provided an opportunity for hundreds of participants to improve their lives through sport. As part of Nike’s Let Me Play initiative we see clearly how the HWC brings health and fitness benefits, but we also see the further reaching advantages including building teamwork, leadership, self-esteem, inclusion and confidence.
Last year’s HWC, held in Copenhagen, Denmark, was a huge success with an estimated 94 percent of players involved in the program reporting that they significantly changed their lives as a result.
From December 1-7 in Melbourne, Australia, 48 countries will be represented by over 500 competitors in the sixth annual HWC. The preliminary games have begun and footballers everywhere are coming together to see who will make it to the world finals.
To see how the tournament in Washington, USA went check out the video.
To get involved in the 2008 Melbourne HWC finals, make a donation or to sponsor a team visit the Web site.