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| Team India reigned supreme in the Deloitte Street Child World Cup 2010 after beating Tanzania by 1-0 in the final at in Durban, South Africa. |
Members of the Indian team hailed from the remote village of Rurka Kalan in Jalandhar, Punjab and got the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to feature in the global event courtesy of Rurka Kalan FC's collaboration with the UK's Khalsa Football Academy.
The week-long tournament, organised by UK Human Rights organisation Amos Trust, followed the ground breaking work of the Durban-based Umthombo Foundation with the teams being organised by innovative and effective street child organisations and aimed at formulating a global Street Child Manifesto,
and launching a campaign calling for street children’s rights to a full, healthy, dignified life, as set out in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), to be upheld.
Nine countries participated in the tournament staged to provide a platform to the kids for celebrating their potential and expressing their views on issues that mattered most to them.
Team India opened their tournament campaign by beating hosts South Africa by 4-0 followed by a 3-1 win over Ukraine. After a convincing 3-1 win over England in the semi finals, the boys made it through to the title round, where they edged Tanzania by a lone goal to win the championship.
INDIA has won the inaugural Street Child World Cup football tournament, which was held in Durban, South Africa. The competition was organised by the human-rights charity the Amos Trust, in conjuction with eight international street-child organisations. It sought to raise awareness of the plight of such children across the globe, before the FIFA World Cup in June.
Teams of disadvantaged children from Brazil, India, Nicaragua, the Philippines, Tanzania, the UK, Ukraine, Vietnam, and South Africa battled it out, before India (pictured, right) beat Tanzania 1-0 in a closely contested final.
The footballers also participated in a conference and drew up a global manifesto, calling for the rights of street children around the world. They contributed art projects and went on safari.
Chris Rose, associate director of the Amos Trust, said the event had been a “fantastic success, with the football played in a great spirit”.
An exhibition of the children’s paintings will be on display throughout the FIFA World Cup.
The team, which is aided and supported by I-League team JCT Club and the Punjab government, was clubbed in group B with Nicaragua, Ukraine and South Africa.
After the group stages, India overcame England 3-1 in the semis and Tanzania 1-0 in the final. "This experience will help us a lot in the future," said YFC founder Gurmangal Dass Soni.
One of the former YFC boys, Anwar, is now a part of the Indian team and coach Kulwant Singh told TOI that he was hopeful that "many more would follow in the path of Anwar" who is now playing for India and Dempo in I-League.