Field of hope: Moving lives through football

MANILA, Philippines - What do we do after something is destroyed? The simple answer is to rebuild, but we all know that this is easier said than done. Most of the time, what is destroyed is more than just houses and personal belongings; what’s destroyed is hope—the hope of seeing a better day.

In times of uncertainty, sometimes hope is all we need. Our youth most especially need it to have something to look forward to. Hence, the LBC Foundation and Futbol sa Kalye (FutKal) started Field of Hope.

Field of Hope, is a project aimed to help victims of the Yolanda tragedy recover, both mentally and emotionally, through “the beautiful game,” football. Through sports, arts and music activities, and discipline, the program is giving children a new lease on life despite tragedy and poverty.

FutKal has been implementing social development football programs in different provinces and regions since 2006. Through the years, the program has evolved and is now being praised for its recent efforts in Tondo, where they have trained a good number of Futkaleros.

FutKal founder Pete Amores describes these children as ‘football enthusiasts that manifest a positive attitude and a purpose driven life.’

FutKal’s success on their “Kick for Life” program in Tondo has attracted the attention of the LBC Foundation, which prompted the latter to partner with them for “Field of Hope.” Nena Wuthrich, executive director of the LBC Foundation, hopes to achieve something equal to the success of “Kick For Life” or better with Field of Hope.

“Field of Hope is something that FutKal and LBC have been working on for quite a while,” said Wuthrich. “We saw the effect of FutKal’s programs on the kids in Tondo, and were hoping to inspire children affected by Yolanda from Tacloban in the same positive way,” she said.

LBC Foundation and FutKal recently held an event at Blue Leaf Filipinas to show everyone how the programs are run. After a brief introduction, members of the press, special guests, and their children took part in an intense and fun football clinic with FutKal coaches, complemented by arts and music workshops.

“These programs are specially designed to appeal to the youth,” said Amores. “It gives them an outlet for their creativity and passion while teaching them the discipline they need for a better future,” he stressed.

“Aside from rebuilding homes and restoring livelihoods, we really want to help the children cope through post-traumatic stress therapy,” Wuthrich said. “This is all part of the LBC Foundation’s commitment in moving lives, businesses, and communities.”

To know more about FutKal and their activities, you may visit their Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/FutKal.

The LBC Foundation also supports other causes and programs to help move communities. To know more, visit the LBC foundation Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/LBCFoundation.