It’s all about empowerment – Sky is the limit for the Women’s Homeless World Cup participants

Today we discuss a unique social enterprise that is changing girls’ lives and we meet a young woman who has emerged from homelessness to now represent her country in football. But her journey all started with The Homeless World Cup a unique, pioneering social enterprise which exists to end homelessness. It uses football to energise homeless people to change their own lives.

The Homeless World Cup annual tournament is a life changing international football event. From Argentina to Australia, South Africa to Portugal, Cameroon to Brazil, Germany to England homeless people take a once in a lifetime opportunity to represent their country and change their lives forever.

And the results from this social enterprise are staggering. 77% of players go on to find a home, come off drugs and alcohol, get into education, jobs, training, repair relationships with friends and family.  True grit  spirit and glory of grass roots and international football.

Following huge success at the first Homeless World Cup in Austria 2003, Sweden 2004 and Edinburgh 2005, Cape Town 2006, Copenhagen 2007, Melbourne 2008, Milan 2009 and Rio 2010 the Homeless World Cup is now recognised as an annual event on the global sporting calendar changing lives.

The first Homeless World Cup annual football tournament took place in Graz in 2003 and welcomed 18 nations. Now it’s grown to include 64 teams from 53 countries – including 16 women’s teams, for the ninth edition and the 28th of August at Champ de Mars, Paris, France for the next Homeless World Cup.

To be  eligible to be a player in the homeless world cup, an individual must have been homeless at some point after the previous tournament. Alternatively, they make their main income as a street paper vendor; or are asylum seekers; or are currently in drug or alcohol rehabilitation and have been homeless at some point in the past two years. Players can participate in only one Homeless World Cup.  There is the option to remain involved by applying to take on an assistant coaching role when available.

Each country puts the word out on the street to invite people to try out for the national team. For example through adverts in their street papers, through posters and notice boards in hostels and housing organisations.  Players attend their national trials where they are provided with coaching, training. Players are selected for the final team and to represent their country according to level of commitment they demonstrate.

So with that background to an awesome initiative today we meet Michelle Da Silva. She is a 2011 Global Ambassador for the Homeless World Cup. Her story is truly inspirational.

Michelle's home town

Michelle was born in 1990 into the famous Favela portrayed in the film ‘The City of God.’ Note: (A favela (Portuguese pronunciation: [fa?v?l?]) is the generally used term for a shanty town in Brazil).

All her life Michelle has lived for football and is on a courageous journey out of poverty and exclusion through sport.

Michelle was selected to represent Brazil at the Copenhagen 2007 Homeless World Cup where she won the best female player and was noticed by Eric Cantona as player that stood out during his training session.

So it was no surprise when on returning to Brazil she was swiftly selected to be part of Brazil’s women’s under 20’s national team and is one of the players selected for the 2010 South America Cup. She is a speedy striker, with a strong force and determination on the pitch.

Michelle says: “The Homeless World Cup is about a major life experience. You create friendships and set the right attitude to succeed in your life and in football.”