COUNTRY / PROBLEM
The Philippines is a country in Southeast Asia. Its capital, Manila, is home to about 13,5 million people, many of whom live in slums. One of the slum districts afflicted with poverty is Payatas, where children make up a high percentage of the population.
Some of the children who live in the slums work at rubbish dumps. They search them for recyclable and resalable items. This allows them to earn a living for their families. Most of them do not have access to education, which deprives them of any prospects of escaping poverty.
ORGANISATION
Established by two Britons – Roy Moore and Naomi Tomlinson – the Fairplay For All Foundation (FFA) has been operating in Payatas since 2011. It was created with the idea of helping children through sport.
As part of the initiative of the Fairplay For All Foundation, a community centre was set up in Payatas and football training started to be organised nearby. Every day, many children take part in the training. A pitch was built, too, and soon the first local football team – FC Payatas – was established. In addition, the community centre set up by the organisation also houses the Fairplay Café, which employs the mothers of the children who benefit from the Foundation’s football scheme.
One of Fairplay For All’s beneficiaries is Ronalyn Legata, a girl from Payatas, who has become hugely successful in her football career. She became a beneficiary of FFA in 2012, and in 2014 she was already representing the Filipino national team – Team Philippines – at the 2014 Street Child World Cup in Brazil. At the Cup, Team Philippines reached the finals. During the next edition of the tournament in 2018 in Russia, Ronalyn was the head coach of Team Philippines.
PROJECTS
The Kulczyk Foundation:
- donated funds to support the girls’ football team, Team Philippines, and to prepare them for participation in the 2018 Street Child World Cup in Russia,
- and provided financial aid for the street children’s football club – FC Payatas.
