The women’s teams competing in the first-ever Women’s Homeless World Cup were in the spotlight today, sharing their moving stories and presenting ideas for grassroots soccer projects in their home countries.The Cameroon women’s team was awarded a 5000 Euro Women Win award today in a presentation at Federation Square’s BMW Edge.
Each team put forward an idea for a sustainable community project which promoted the development and empowerment of women.
Cameroon’s well-planned business model for a dress-making and hair-dressing salon was voted the winner by the other teams.
The uplifting presentation was complete with African singing and dancing, and even the Ugandans joined in by adding their own bongo drum. But the aim of the award was not just fun and games, as each team addressed the serious and often frightening issues that women face in their communities each day.
Liberian player Veronica Davies’ heartfelt story illuminated the hardships faced by many women in her country.
“I was two years old when the civil crisis broke out in my country. My father was a general in the army. We fled when the rebels attacked our village. I had to beg for food. When I was 10 my father decided to take us back to Liberia. But when we returned our house had been burnt down.”
With nowhere else to turn, Davies’ decided to live with friends.
“I got a scholarship to finish my education and graduated in 2005,” she says. “I was selling mineral water on the side of the road when I saw people playing soccer. I started playing soccer again and then I got into university.”
The common theme throughout the presentation was the positive role that football plays in creating community bonds while providing a platform for women to develop their independence.
Paraguayan player Elisa Noelia Caceres Gamarra was optimistic about her team’s ability to make changes back home.
“We want to go home and teach other girls to play soccer,” she said. “We want to show them how to stay away from drugs and have fun with sport.”
Melinda Namafe from Zambia was also excited about the positive effect of soccer on young girls.
“Football has changed me in so many ways,” she enthused. “I have finished school. I never thought I would. I want to change my life. We (the team) hope to play professional football. When I return home I want to show people how I’ve changed, what I’ve learnt, and how to become someone in life.”
For the first time, the Homeless World Cup includes a women’s competition this year, with eight teams competing – Australia, Cameroon, Colombia, Kyrgyzstan, Liberia, Paraguay, Uganda and Zambia.
Women Win is an international women’s fund that supports sport and physical activities to bring about social change and women’s empowerment.
“Sport is enormously powerful,” explains Women Win program director Cindy Coltman. “It can help heal communities.”
In Women’s Homeless World Cup match results, Colombia defeated Uganda 6-0, Australia went down to unbackable tournament favourites Zambia 1-18, Liberia beat Kyrgyzstan 7-3 and Cameroon failed to score against Paraguay who netted 10 goals.
In the main draw, Argentina remain undefeated in the secondary stage, while a string of saves from giant Finnish keeper Jari Aberg saw Finland overcome Sierra Leone in a dramatic penalty shoot-out after the two sides were deadlocked 6-6 at full time.
Finnish striker Anne Hirvasvuopio proved that she could compete with the big boys by opening the scoring early with a quickly taken free kick.
It was always going to be a tough task finding a way past the Finnish man mountain in goals and predictably Aberg saved Sierra Leone's first two efforts.
However, his Sierra Leone counterpart Lamin Conteh kept his side in the contest with two quality saves of his own.
After Karl-Bengt Henriksson and Mahmoud Bah both converted Aberg ended the match with a superb block with his midriff.
The tournament moves into the finals stage tomorrow, with quarter and semi-finals on Saturday and the finals, including the Homeless World Cup final, on Sunday.
A match schedule, match reports and live results are available at www.homelessworldcup.org
For more of our articles on the Homeless World Cup please click the label
Courtesy The Big Issue
Photo Michael Brown / Photoworx
