Nasser Emarati contacted me with a brilliant proposal: He is involved with a scheme to help the poor all over the world in bringing the homeless and poor to a city in the world every year to play football! Nasser is the Team Canada 2005 Coach, and they just ended the tournament in Edinburgh, Scotland where Italy held the crown again playing against Poland in front of a capacity crowd.
Nasser knows that we too suffer from poverty in Bahrain and thought that it might be a good idea to add Bahrain to the list so they can play in Cape Town next year.
Yes I know that there are better ways to help the poor, but this I think is equally important and will have a lasting impression and good memories with the participants for the rest of their lives. Every little helps. And if you can bring joy to anyone, then so much the better.
Does any of you know who to contact in Bahrain to discuss this issue with them, or at least put them in touch with the Homeless World Cup organisation?
Comments
The Homeless World Cup
Great idea, but just like FIFA Football World Cups for the last 30 years there will be no Australian team. The Australian govt denies there are any homeless in Oz. Or perhaps it just seems that way.
The Homeless World Cup
[quote]Does any of you know who to contact in Bahrain to discuss this issue with them, or at least put them in touch with the Homeless World Cup organisation?
[/quote]
I believe it should actually be “Do any of you know who…” I read that you want to learn French but maybe you should check your english as well. 😉
Anyway on to your idea on the homeless..one word comes to mind FANTASTIC. How about doing a “Queer Eye for the Homeless Guy/Gal” or a “Rent-a-Homeless Person” for advertising. Think about it..everyone stares at homeless people so how about put a sign on them for a business and let them make some money. I think having to count on homeless people to show up for a sporting event might be tough. I hate to be negative..but I don’t think that teamwork and dedication is a hallmark of homeless people. Hey..maybe Bahrain is different in its homeless. Good Luck to the French Non-Bathing Lazy Asses in the next Cup!
The Homeless World Cup
mahmood,
i am sure we can pull some strings from this? how much do u need to raise?
wanna talk?
will give u a call later today or tomorrow to discuss this further..
just a thought!
The Homeless World Cup
hi mahmood, there’s been alot of news about Michael Jackson in Bahrain and about jurors regretting their decisions (shame on them). What’s ur take and what have you heard about his stay in Bahrain? The latest. Thanks!
Re: The Homeless World Cup
of course, let’s talk and see how we can get Bahrain to participate in this and formulate a plan. I’ll be busy today through the weekend, but should be good to meet say on Sunday for brainstorming?
Re: The Homeless World Cup
CAUGHT! I should proof-read before hitting “submit”, thanks for pointing it out, I have corrected the error.
We don’t have homeless in the sense that you see in the West. We do have poor families of course and very limited income families. If you take the defined poverty line in Bahrain at BD 341 per month (US$904), then a very large proportion of Bahraini families would fall in the poor bracket (assuming that they have only one earner, which is not the case considering that the average family in Bahrain has over 4 children (I assume, I don’t have stats on this particular issue and would appreciate correction)).
We have no minimum wage by law, but recently the government has decided to raise its own minimum pay to BD200 per month ($530) and it was soon followed suit by a couple of large companies.
In any case, the issue here as far as the Homeless World Cup is concerned is to raise awareness, demonstrate to the poor that they do have the capability to do something for themselves and to have fun while at it!
There is a TV program (or channel) in Iraq (can’t find refs now) which builds or renovates houses for the poor or widows who’ve lost their spouses during the war. The program is much as you would see on Home and Garden Television or the like, a DIY program where they get sponsorship for the material from various sources.
I would LOVE to start something like this as well in Bahrain, I’m sure I can get sponsorship from the various building material places and get advertising to make it worthwhile. This would be much better than waiting for the Ministry of Housing to assign money for renovating houses in dire need of repair etc.
Back to football and poverty, I think it is a brilliant idea and Bahrainis are natural footballers, all you have to do is go virtually any afternoon to any empty space in Bahrain and you’ll see kids and adults kicking the ball around.
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Mahmood is coordinating efforts to make it possible to send a Bahraini Team to play next year at Cape Town-South Africa. The Homeless World Cup is an international event that uses the positive power of football to raise the issue of homelessness and p…
Re: The Homeless World Cup
I recall reading in the paper that there is an Australian team going, maybe I’m mistaken
The Homeless World Cup
Good luck guys, I’m sure there are heaps of companies who would be able to sponsor a team. It probably wouldnt need an enourmous amount of dosh. Try talking to those people at Computer Point, i hear they’re doing well! 😉
Re: The Homeless World Cup
apparently he just bought a large plot of land, with plans to build a house on it. Do a google news search for Micheal Jackson, most of the reports seem to agree with one and other.
The Homeless World Cup
The Homeless World Cup (HWC) is already a success. In 2006 in Cape Town, South Africa, the HWC will be staged for the 4th consecutive year. Last month, the HWC just received UEFA’s Charity Cheque… in the amount of €649,000.
There are a lot of misconceptions about homeless people. Jett (comment above) says “I don’t think that teamwork and dedication is a hallmark of homeless people.” Unfortunately, the world’s majority thinks just like that.
My boys from Canada, and all the other players from around the world bring so much spirit and passion to the tournament, it’s something to be seen. It’s phenomenal. My boys drove with me 2000kms to Canada’s capital to obtain visas. We drove twice, and both times we left Toronto, our home city, at 3:30am. My boys made it out to practice 3 times a week, 9am on the dot every time. A homeless person is not just the individual that parks himself on sidewalks and then panhandles. He’s somebody that could have been wronged by the system/was weak at some point in his life. But he should still be offered a hand up, and that’s what the HWC aims to do – it aims to offer a hand up in a society that’s generally unforgiving, and it fights to combat the stereotype that homeless people are unable to achieve.
This tournament is about social inclusion for those that are at society’s very bottom. It helps with their self-esteem, and it can be a driving force for those that want to make change happen in their life. That’s why I believe in it, and that’s why I got involved.
Team Canada 2005 Coach
Re: The Homeless World Cup
As Michael Jackson is neither homeless nor a footballer from what I gather, what has this got to do with this particular topic? Nothing. And on top of that I’m not interested in celebrity gossip. Stay on topic please, or if you must seek comments on a topic, then please try at least to find the appropriate post to comment on.
Re(1): The Homeless World Cup
We haven’t qualified yet for Germany 2006 and to be honest we’re unlikely to. We have to play the fifth placed team from South America (Colombia at the moment with 3 games to play) presuming we get past the great football power that is the Solomon Islands. Basically, the situation is that Colombia – or whoever it is – will have played 18 hard, games against the best sides in the world and Oz will have played 7 against sides that we score an average of four goals against. It’s like someone that jogs occasionally entering the Olympic marathon. It is possible to win, it’s just incredibly unlikely. That’s why for the next World Cup (2010) we’re playing in the Asia Confederation. More games, better competition and we can automatically qualify if we’re in the top 4 – fifth placed team plays against North & Central America’s fourth placed team to qualify .
[Modified by: skribe (skribe) on August 11, 2005 01:24 PM]
Re(1): The Homeless World Cup
great… we have a date on sunday… i will give u a call during the day for the time and venue.. definitely after sunset.. 😉
Re(1): The Homeless World Cup
Anon;
I live very close to NYC and all my experiences with poor people equate to the same. The vast majority are social misfits – drug addicts, alcoholics, people with mental problems, and never-married mothers. In the US, chronic poverty is mostly self-inflicted (except for the mental cases). Poverty in the rest of the world has other causes.
A sporting event might raise some funds but the root causes of poverty are usually mismanaged economies, government corruption, and people having more kids than they can feed.
Aliandra
Re: The Homeless World Cup
Nasseremarti said [quote]There are a lot of misconceptions about homeless people. Jett (comment above) says “I don’t think that teamwork and dedication is a hallmark of homeless people.” Unfortunately, the world’s majority thinks just like that.
[/quote] Hey…I spent all of my spring breaks in college not drinking and partying but working in homeless shelters in New York City. I spend time still each month at a homeless shelter giving medicine. So do I think like that?? Yes..because I know these people first hand. I have worked in AIDS clinics, homeless shelters and food kitchens. I don’t know if you have ever been to New York or seen the homeless men and women who are now living the streets in the US..but they are the alcoholic, drug ravaged and mentally unfit people that they appear to be. I read what Mahmood said constitutes the so called homeless or poor of Bahrain ($904 in Bahrain vs $794 in the US). But I have talked, listened, shared food and spent time with these people to learn their situations and how they have come to such unfortunate ends and I can say,with regret, that these aren’t the people who would be in such an event as the “HOMELESS WORLD CUP”. If the US fields a team I would imagine its kids from shelters that aren’t really street homeless but runaways. At a median range of 31 for homeless status here in the US these aren’t kids nor are they boys.
Do these unfortunate people need social inclusion? Yes. Do they need help beyond that of boosting self esteem? Yes. These were once ..no still.. are brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers, aunts, uncles, co-workers, bosses that people love and care about. If I really thought a game of soccer would help that would be one thing..but they need more than that. They need people around when the games stop. Show up then. Then I’ll be impressed.
Re: The Homeless World Cup
Bill.
While $10.00 per hour may or may not rent you a roof there is no law that says you are going to be able to survive on 1 single 40 hour per week job. Shocking as it is to many people a person may have to work 2 (two) and sometimes 3 jobs to survive. I have done it. Didn’t like it but I did it.
There are also various Federal and State programs that can provide assistance to those in need, even those that have jobs. (WIC, Food Stamps etc) most are based on a sliding scale as well and you might be surprised on how easy it is to qualify. Not to mention the aide local non profits pass out..
I agree with you that a “true” living wage would be nice but it is not the complete answer. The vast majority of people who are a couple of paychecks away from being homeless are in that situation on their own accord. Overspending and living above ones means are the biggest causes. Hence most real poverty in the US is rare and not equatable with true poverty in the rest of the world.
Then again are you truely poor if you don’t know your poor?
Re(1): The Homeless World Cup
[quote]Washington, DC- On April 28th, Congress
passed a budget resolution that
will cap discretionary spending and cut
funding for low income programs.
The final budget, developed solely
by Republicans, requires almost $35
billion in cuts to mandatory programs,
which are to be implemented during
reconciliation. Out of the $35 billion,
$10 billion, over the next five years, is
assumed to come from the Medicaid
program. The Agriculture Committee
has also been directed to find savings
of $3 billion. These savings are expected
to come from the food stamp
program. [/quote]
[quote]Section 8 is administered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and helps an estimated two million low-income Americans pay rent at an annual cost of $15 billion. In April, HUD issued an administrative change that sent the federal government cap on Section 8 rents back to August 2003 levels with a small adjustment for inflation. In addition, HUD proposed creating a block grant for Section 8 housing versus individual vouchers and cutting program funding by $800 million.[/quote]
Guess this is where the money is going to come from to give to the oil and energy companys.
billT
The Homeless World Cup
Id like to point out that many in the US are only a couple of paychecks checks from homelessness. In many areas of the country a minimum wage of $10 an hour still wouldn’t permit the rental of a roof over homeless peoples heads. Not that a living wage is anywhere in the foreseeable future.
billT