Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Using soccer as a tool for a brighter future for homeless youth
When Vijay Barse, 63, took shelter under a tree one rainy afternoon in 2001, he saw slum youth kicking an empty bucket around and enjoying their own version of soccer. He underwent what could only be an epiphany of an idea and started Krida Vikas Sanstha Nagpur (KVSN) making soccer the way to keep young people who are homeless or living in slums, away from drugs.
The KVSN has been able to reach more than 50,000 youth since 2001, Barse told News India-Times. Its work has resulted in a national Indian team participating in the Sixth Homeless World Cup 2008, to be held this year in Melbourne, Australia from December 1-5. And even if that team ranks 45th on the global scene following its debut entry in Copenhagen in 2007, it is seen as a monumental achievement.
This July 25-27, the second selection camp was held to finalize the members for the Indian Slum Soccer team which eventually becomes the base for selecting the team that goes to Melbourne.Twenty players were selected out of 40 from the first selection camp. They got in not just because they played well but players were assessed for their off the ground behavior as well.
To read the full article, click here..
To read the epaper, visit: http://www.newsindia-times.com
The KVSN has been able to reach more than 50,000 youth since 2001, Barse told News India-Times. Its work has resulted in a national Indian team participating in the Sixth Homeless World Cup 2008, to be held this year in Melbourne, Australia from December 1-5. And even if that team ranks 45th on the global scene following its debut entry in Copenhagen in 2007, it is seen as a monumental achievement.
This July 25-27, the second selection camp was held to finalize the members for the Indian Slum Soccer team which eventually becomes the base for selecting the team that goes to Melbourne.Twenty players were selected out of 40 from the first selection camp. They got in not just because they played well but players were assessed for their off the ground behavior as well.
To read the full article, click here..
To read the epaper, visit: http://www.newsindia-times.com
Labels: Australia, future, homeless, Indian Slum Soccer team, Krida Vikas Sanstha Nagpur, Melbourne, Sixth Homeless World Cup 2008, slums, soccer, Vijay Barse, Youth
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