Ronalyn’s story, above, epitomizes why we work in sports. This video, part of a fundraising campaign by UK nonprofit Poverty Child to help us reach more kids, shows the impact sports can make.
Payatas Football Club was established in 2011 as a way to build relationships with the community while having fun. Payatas is one of the largest and poorest slums in the Philippines, and the kids took to the sport immediately. It was a safe space to have fun and play, away from gangs and drugs and the underlying causes of such problems.
Payatas FC has now won over 40 trophies, with players invited for University scholarships and National Youth Teams. Most importantly, though, the emotional and social development of the kids has been a joy to be part of and leaks into other areas of life outside the football pitch.
In 2016 we were able to finish building the very first futsal court in the community (above). This became the start of the Payatas Sports Center. Team sports have long been linked with improved social, physical, emotional, and academic progress. Payatas FC and the Payatas Sports Center mean children around our area in the community have access to this too.
We believe every child deserves the chance to play in a safe environment. We believe sports done in an encouraging and constructive way can be a universal tool to achieve broader aims. We also believe that when you level the playing field, these kids will show you that they are just as good as anyone else out there (and often even better).
If you have coaching experience and want to get involved coaching in Payatas, or if you want your own Payatas FC jersey, then Contact Us to find out how you can get involved.
Fairplay For All Foundation 