“Football for Hope” festival: True happiness for orphan children in Vietnam

From right to left: Ha Danh Du (2000), Truong Thi Ngoc Anh (2000), Doan Thi Huong (1999) and Tran Dinh Hoang (2001) are ready to go to Russia for “Football for Hope” festival.

Vietnam team consists of 4 members (2 boys and 2 girls), who are Tran Dinh Hoang, Ha Danh Du, Doan Thi Huong and Truong Thi Ngoc Anh. They were rigorously selected from more than 17 thousand members of Football For All in Vietnam (FFAV).

With disadvantaged backgrounds, they lived together at Xuan Phu Social Center (Hue city) and joined the football club of FFAV. These 4 children are the examples of untiring determination towards dreams and enormous inspiration for others.

Doan Thi Huong, who is currently a freshman at Hue College of Arts and majors in Graphic Designs, shared: “I was totally surprised and happy when finding out that I was chosen for the festival. I cannot imagine that I had the chance to travel to a big country, do cultural exchange and cheer for that international football champion”.

Doan Thi Huong (white shirt) in a football technique practicing lesson.

So far, team members have carefully prepared for the trip. They practiced playing football, learning English, culture, behavior manners when attending international exchange activities as well as prepared a traditional performance to spread country image, Vietnamese people at the cultural ceremony. “I will try to bring all what I have learned, prepared and my knowledge to all foreign friends.”, said Tran Dinh Hoang, the youngest team member.

Mrs. Tran Thi Nhu Trang- Director of For Vietnamese Saturation Foundation (VSF) shared: “We are honored to support these students in the preparation of both knowledge and skills for the upcoming trip to Russia.” Together with TH Group, VSF already offered TH True milk boxes, biscuits and fruits to improve nutrition, boost physical strengths as the perfect preparation for the world sports arena where saturation is clearly marked.

As a non-profit organization with the emphasis on raising saturation, physical strengths and minds of Vietnamese children, we highly appreciate the meaningful purpose of “Football For All in Vietnam” project (FFAV), which is set to bring about positive changes in society and especially for underprivileged kids through football. “Football for hope” festival is  the true happiness for 4 students, namely Hoang, Du, Anh, Huong, who are the pride of FFAV and VSF.”

Four orphan and underprivileged children who live under one roof and all shared an enormous passion for football will travel to Russia for World Cup 2018.

In the football festival in Russia this time, there are 48 teams all over the world joining several group activities, including training sessions and so-called “football 3”. This is a concept of integrating fundamental life skills into football match with a view to promoting leadership and problem-solving skills among participants. “Football 3” has 3 halves: Discussion on rules, play and Decision on result. Besides, they will have the chance to go sightseeing in Moscow city and especially watch football matches in FIFA World Cup 2018 (round 16) in Luzhniki stadium.

This is the second time FFAV has been invited to participate in “Football for Hope” festival by FIFA. Mrs. Nguyen Thi Hoa, Director Deputy of FFAV shared: “This festival is held with the purpose of honoring positive impacts created by sports; hereby, solving social problems such as medical issues, gender inequality and health improvement”.

Football is not just a mere sport but also a means of connectivity and a great source of inspiration for society. This is also the ultimate purpose of “Footfall for hope” festival with so many football talents from all over the world through social organizations. The festival is the playground where young players can compete and exchange football techniques and life skills.