Brazil Girls’ Team from Penha Are 2014Street Child World Cup Champions

Less than a week after being named Championsof the 2014 Street Child World Cup in Rio de Janeiro, the Brazilian Girls Team returned to practice. The

girls range from age 12 to 18 and come from Complexo da Penha and Vila Cruzeiro in Rio de Janeiro’sNorth Zone. They are all a part of the Favela Street organization which through soccer motivates and

encourages girls who need structure, a safe environment and appreciation, to make and reach their life

goals. After participating in the 10-day Street Child World Cup, the girls returned with energy, new

friendships from around the world, and confidence to proudly say ‘I Am Somebody.’

The Street Child World Cup was hosted in Rio de Janeiro from March 28 to April 7 and brought

together over 230 boys and girls from 19 different countries in a football tournament, festival arts and

participatory conference on children’s rights. The event brings international attention to the global issue ofyouth homelessness and poverty. Each country’s team was not selected solely for foot skills on the field,

but rather the players or ‘Street Champions’ were selected because they are inspiring examples of change

from local organizations in each country working to fight child homelessness and street labor. The termstreet child in a broader definition refers to children who are connected to the streets, whether by living or

working on the streets in their respective countries. Both a girls and boys team represented Brazil in thetournament; the Girls Team from Favela Street in Penha, Rio de Janeiro and the Boys Team from the O

Pequeno Nazareno NGO in Fortaleza.

Although the players arrived in Rio ready to

compete to be the 2014 World Cup Champions, this tournament enhanced the hope and encouragement

soccer has already given these ‘Street Champions.’ The tournament focused on the platform that “No

child should have to live on the street” to gain international acknowledgement for the promotion of

children’s rights. A number of the children involved in the tournament have traumatic histories of violence

and abuse related to drug gangs and police brutality. The tournament encouraged each of the players to

realize they are valued, they have a future, and they are somebody. Street Child World Cup’s website

states, “this group of young people are inspiring examples of how every street-connected child has a

future away from the streets when they receive the right protection, rehabilitation and opportunities.”

For the Brazil teams, the campaign to promote rights for street children and to protect street children from

violence took on even greater significance following the tragic death of the Brazilian Boys Team captain,

Rodrigo Kelton, in February. Rodrigo was shot and killed on his 14th birthday by drug traffickers in

revenge for an alleged robbery in the favela where his family lives in Fortaleza. Both the Brazilian girls and

boys remembered Rodrigo throughout the week by wearing black armbands during their matches. The

Brazilian boys carried around a painting of their teammate. A number of other countries also played tohonor Rodrigo and all street children who have been victims of violence.

To prepare for the Street Child World Cup, theBrazilian Girls Team from Penha practiced four times every week. Jessica, a Favela Street coach who

grew up in Penha, said: “Soccer makes a difference in all of our lives. It distracts us and helps a lot withour health. Truthfully, there wasn’t an event like this for girls before.” Although Brazil is known for its

passion for soccer, women traditionally could not participate. During the military dictatorship, from 1941to 1979, a law was imposed prohibiting girls and women from playing soccer as it was considered

“incompatible with the female form.” Even since the fourth incarnation of a women’s league this pastSeptember, there has not been support for women’s teams. Favela Street has helped to bring girls’

soccer to the center stage.

Communication at the tournament was difficult between

players since most only spoke their native language. The Brazilian girls said Portuguese allowed them tospeak with a few other teams including those from Mozambique and that Portuguese was similar enough

to Spanish to communicate with other participating Latin American teams from El Salvador, Nicaraguaand Argentina. Regardless of language setbacks, the players formed strong friendships. Brazilian Girls

Team Captain, Claudiane, 18, stated, “It was hard to communicate with the other teams but still webecame such good friends with them all. Everyone’s friends on Facebook now and we talk all the time.”For the Brazilian girls, one of the strongest bonds was with the girls team from the Philippines, the team

they played against in the final match. Coach Jessica explained, “The hardest part of the week was thegame between Brazil and the Philippines in the final. Not because of the game itself but because of the

friendship our girls had with the other team. They were best friends; it was hard to play against them.Overall, it was a great game still, both sides played great. Friendship showed the meaning of the event.”

After such an exciting experience, it was hard for the girls to return to their home life. Claudiane said,“This week has been boring. I need to go to work and school again. I just want to go back. I really loved

the Street Child World Cup and I already miss it and my friends.” For Claudiane, the hardest part of the

week was leaving. She said, “It was really emotional, everyone was singing the Shosholoza folk song

from Zimbabwe and South Africa again. We finally learned the translation on that last day which meant togo forward, go forward on this train from the mountains, that you are running away. It was a song of

support and encouragement in hard times. It was so relevant and sad once we knew the meaning and it

was time for us to all go home.” A significant message to all teams as they headed home was to keepmoving forward, to remember they have support in difficult times, and to remember that they are

somebody.

children's rights, drug traffic, empowerment, Fortaleza, homeless, military dictatorship, North Zone,

Penha, soccer, sports, Street Child World Cup, urban violence, Vila Cruzeiro