Philippines: With team sport against violence and discrimination
The girls are coming from the soccer field. Time to take a deep breath - and time for a team meeting. Now, however, it's about more than football; To the situation on the street, for your rights and for protection against abuse.
They are all on the streets of Davao City. You know how it is, chasing away, insulted and incorrectly accused. Also and if only because they are outside in the city at night.
The metropolis on the island of Mindanao has granted little attention and priority to children on the street. Official programs often do not help, some have only caused further damage. "Rescue actions" and city -wide output blocks became the guise for unjustified arrests and detention of young people. Once children are in custody, the girls report, then they are treated cruel and humiliating by the police and security forces in their village.
Against this culture of violence, "Tambayan" takes action. The terre des hommes partner organization offers children psychological and psychosocial help. Especially for adolescents, but also for children who are particularly at risk in their family or due to previous conflicts with the law.
Playing football is one of the many measures with which Tambayan reaches the girls and opens new ground. The organization teaches you to recognize different forms of violence and protect yourself against it. At the same time, she is committed to a more peaceful and more constructive culture in politics, police and authorities.
The work helps to stop and break the devil circles of violence. So many of the girls describe it on the soccer field: they used to join one of the "Street Gangs" because they enjoyed it. The members told them that they would "get respect". But being a member of a gang only brought new problems with it, one larger than the other.
In the meantime, the girls know how to protect themselves. And they have new courage to strive for a better future. You are grateful for the community you found in the Tambayan program. And in general: football, they say, is a lot more fun to be a member of a street.