February 22 2016, 19.18 PM IST || Pocket News Alert
Third Edition of CRY’s ‘Soccer for Child Rights’ held at YMCA ground Chennai
Chennai, February 20, 2016: CRY (Child Rights and You), the leading NGO for child rights conducted its 3rd edition of ‘Soccer for Child Rights’ tournament at YMCA ground, Nandanam today. Apollo Tyres won the tournament against Infosys by 4:3.
A total of 11 corporate teams took part in the tournament against (SCSTEDS) Slum Children Sports Talent Education Development Society. To name a few, INFOSYS, VERIZON, INAUTIX PERSHING, RAMCO, HDFC, SUNDAAM FASTENERS, TCS AND APOLLO TYRES were among the corporate teams.
CRY started the tournament called ‘Soccer for Child Rights’ for the first time in 2014 in support of its project - Slum Children Sports Talent Education Development Society (SCSTEDS) which highlighted the importance of ‘sports’ as a medium to effect change in the lives of children living in slum communities of Vyasarpadi. The project has been a positive influence on many children. It has helped them to get out of an abusive and exploitative situation.
Suma Ravi, Regional Director, South region, CRY said the 2016 edition of the soccer tournament has acquired a new hue because of the great courage showed by the youth from the Vyasarpadi slums during the devastating Chennai floods. “They not only braved the ravages of the havoc but also took painstaking efforts to reach out to the most marginalized sections of Tamil Nadu to help them. The project team conducted medical camps and also distributed relief kits,” she said.
Explaining further, Suma said the tournament will be a platform for slum children to draw inspiration from corporate employees to study further rather than opting out of the school and plunging into an uncertain future. “It will also sensitize the ‘corporate’ on the plight of slum children,” she added.
For the last 34 years, CRY has been supporting 300 grass roots organisations across 23 Indian states impacting the lives of over 9 lakh children.
The title sponsor for the soccer tournament was Shankara Infrastructure.
