dyton mupawaenda
Sports Reporter
GRASSROOT Cricket is seeking at least US$25 000 to allow Zimbabwean delegates and homeless children to attend the Street Child Cricket World Cup to be held in India in September this year.
Hosted in partnership with Save the Children India and taking place before the ICC World Cup, this game-changing event will create a global platform so that street-connected young people’s voices can be heard, and their demands realised.
Team Zimbabwe will be one of 23 teams participating, all featuring young people aged 12-14. The programme will culminate in a trip to India for eight young people who will represent Team Zimbabwe and compete in the Street Child Cricket World Cup 2023.
Grassroots Cricket Founder and Director, Tawanda Karasa, said his organisation is seeking sponsorship of US$16 500 to cover air tickets, global travel insurance, participation fee, yellow fever vaccination and certificate for 10 team members made up of eight playing athletes and two team officials — one male and one female.
“We are also looking for another US$5 000 sponsorship to cover visa fees, covid vaccinations, passports, communications, playing kit and equipment for the participating individuals,” he said. Karasa added that Grassroots Cricket is also internally fundraising to secure US$3 500 needed to cover allowances and transport on the days of departure and arrival for the individuals travelling to India.
“We are urgently seeking to pay at least 20% of participation fees before the deadline day of 28th April 2023, 40% by 30th June 2023 and the remaining 40% by 25th August 2023. Those who are willing to partner with us or donate something can get in touch with our resource person,” he said.
The second edition of the Street Child Cricket World Cup 2023 will welcome 23 teams from 17 countries in total to take part in a mixed-gender cricket tournament. The teams will play the game in the Street-20 format, designed to remove many of the barriers to participation. Each match is six-a-side, with equal numbers of girls and boys in each team.
In addition to cricket, the young people will also participate in a festival of art and a child-friendly Congress, all designed to advocate for the rights of street-connected children globally.
“Across the world, street-connected young people live on, work in or are at risk of the streets,” said Street Child United CEO, John Wroe, while announcing the teams.
“These young people are often stigmatised, mistreated, and marginalised. Their voices are rarely heard. The Street Child Cricket World Cup uses the power of sport to provide a global platform for street children to be heard, so they can receive the protection, support, and opportunities that every child is entitled to.”
The SCCWC 2023 follows the success of the inaugural event in London/Cambridge 2019, where eight teams competed, and Team India South emerged victorious after beating hosts England in a highly competitive final.
The winners will return in 2023 to defend their title alongside seven other teams from India who will represent organisations from across different regions of the country. They will be joined by teams from Bangladesh, Bolivia, Brazil, Burundi, England, Hungary, Mauritius, Mexico, Nepal, Rwanda, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zimbabwe. In 2018 the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) adopted a resolution on Sport as an enabler of sustainable development; recognising that sport has the power to change perceptions, prejudices, and behaviours, as well as to inspire people, break down racial and political barriers, combat discrimination and defuse conflict.
Online Reporter