More than 200 young people from across the world gathered in Moscow ahead of the World Cup to play football and advocate for street children's rights at the Street Child World Cup. Among them were three Kenyan teenagers released from a juvenile detention centre to participate in the tournament, who will return to Mombasa to serve the remainder of their sentences. Their crime: being on the streets.
Frederick Achola, team manager from Glad's House, said he fought hard to secure permission for the boys to attend, aiming to give them a positive experience. Glad's House campaigns against the criminalisation of street children in Kenya, particularly the practice of sending them to distant detention centres when local spaces are unavailable.
The tournament, held alongside a congress on children's rights, featured over 20 countries. Defending champions Brazil won the girls' trophy, while Uzbekistan took the boys'. Since its launch in 2010, the event has provided a platform for street children to speak out on rights and connect with other vulnerable youth. All participants are homeless, have lived on the streets, or are at risk of doing so.
Young people from Brazil, the Philippines, and India shared their experiences. A Brazilian participant described living on the streets for two to three years after his parents' divorce, facing danger from shootings and drug use. After losing a leg in a train accident, he now studies and lives with his mother, dreaming of a dignified life for all Brazilian children.
A participant from Manila recounted scavenging on a rubbish dump to support his family, facing dangers from garbage trucks and gang fights. With help from a charity, he stopped scavenging and pursued football, earning a university scholarship and now coaching younger children. He hopes education will provide alternatives for the next generation.
