You may have seen some of our recent posts discussing the fantastic work taking place at King’s College School (KCS) in Wimbledon. The school is doing phenomenal things to drive donations from its students, parents and staff members. Within 3 weeks of our Donation Station arriving at the school, we were told the box had overflowed twice and was on its way to overflowing a third time. Incredibly for us, the inspiring success of this story doesn’t stop there, it only keeps on going. You might see all these shoes and wonder, “ok great, but where are they going?”. This January, the donations made from this particular station are about to embark on a truly fascinating journey, all thanks to the wonderful members of The Oscar Foundation.
The Oscar Foundation was started by two founders who were raised in the slums of Mumbai. Growing up in a community were many struggle to complete their education, stay out of crime and build a better future disturbed the Oscar founders. So, they decided to take matters into their own hands and use sport as a vehicle to make a change.
The Oscar Foundations activities have evolved in tandem with an evolving set of needs that the people they help have been exposed to. Now, their education programs “ensure that children who are facing difficulties in their studies receive the right guidance. We encourage children to use computers, skill them in technology that will be helpful to them in the future. Our children already know how to make a presentation, and how to create an excel sheet.”
“At the heart of OSCAR Foundation is a policy – ‘No school, No football’. If children want to have fun, engage in different OSCAR activities, be part of the Football Program, then they HAVE to go to school. In fact, we verify the attendance of all children and only after we know that they are going to school are they allowed to play football. We give a lot of emphasis on the development of youth in our communities. The Youth who are part of OSCAR receive appropriate career guidance and opportunities through the Young Leaders Program.”
When we first established our link with KCS, we were thrilled to say the least to learn of their partnership with the Oscar Foundation. In January 2020, the Oscar team will be travelling out to Mumbai on a trip that will take them right to the epicenter of their work. Accompanying the team, will be suitcases of shoes, donated by the people of KCS. Once landed in Mumbai, the journey then takes the team on a 24hr train journey to their final destination and we can’t wait to see their work. Watch this space!
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