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“No child should have to live on the streets.” So says Julián Díaz, CEO of Dufry, which today announced it is to sponsor the next Street Child World Cup in Rio de Janeiro in March 2014.
And so (should) say all of us. In a world where so many of us live in comfort and often luxury, it is a blight on society and humanity that an estimated 100 million children are homeless, usually exploited and often abused.
UNICEF defines street children as those who live in “the street” (including unoccupied dwellings and wasteland), which has become their home and/or their source of livelihood, and who are inadequately protected or supervised.
Besides the abject poverty that underpins it, one of the reasons that this phenomenon persists to the extent that it does is the global ignorance of these children’s plight. As one of the highest-profile businesses in Brazil (its most important market), Dufry has the power to change that and has seized it impressively.
Dufry already does great work in caring for children through its support for the SOS Social Center in Igarassu, Brazil (SOS Children’s villages is an independent, non-political and non-demonstrational organisation established for orphaned and destitute children all over the world). Now it’s stepping up its game.
The Street Child World Cup precedes the 2014 FIFA World Cup, which takes place from 12 June to 13 July 2014 and will benefit hugely from the global exposure the latter event will bring. But in so many ways, the Dufry-sponsored event matters so much more.
Bravo to Dufry. In football parlance, it’s time to step up to the spot to end a human tragedy that is unacceptable in 21st century ‘civilisation’.