Children’s safety, protection and care at all times: the greatest goal of them all

Sibongile (Bongi) Mkhabela, Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund

Following the announcement May 15, 2004 that South Africa will be hosting the 2010 FIFA  World Cup, the country was in the grip of an exciting countdown to the last day, hour, minute and the final second to see the games begin in earnest on June 11, 2010.

The six years that stood between that dream day and actually living the dream on June 11, 2010 stood apart like goal posts on a soccer field, with understandable anxiety over whether things would come together to make the country ready for the games. Those six years simply whizzed past in the exciting preparations that went with the countdown until the first whistle was blown by the referee for the games to begin.

For an organization steeped in a child-centered tradition, not only did the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund look forward to children being part of living the dream, but also found it most opportune to rally peer organizations within the sector to do their utmost to ensure that each game begins and ends with little or no tears for children. This could only be if no child got lost, went missing, was left unattended or neglected or unfed; and avoided any harm or exploitive treatment.

As new roads and stadia were built; airports spruced up or newly constructed buses and train scheduled coordinated for ease of public transport use, we too, travelled the length and breadth of our country to spread the word that children’s safety should, at all times, be part of the plan and a factor in the world’s most loved sport. This plan came in the form of the “Champion for Children” campaign launched on December 9, 2009, at which our Trustee, Graca Machel, became patron.

Since then, all sectors of society have added their weight behind the campaign. The Champion for Children Campaign is truly cementing the notion that it takes a village to raise a child. One of FIFA’s sponsors, Sony, suggested that children be part of the World Cup games as flag bearers.  For children, there was no better way to bring the games closer than to be part of the games, see the stars within touching distance and then be pampered to sit back and enjoy the games under the care of guardians. The Flag-bearing experience ignited in children the idea that there is a world waiting for them to claim their space and find their role in it. The challenge now is how to translate that idea into actionable programs that speak to children on a massive scale.

That our children should remain safe, protected and cared for at all times is the greatest goal of all who care now, and beyond the 2010 FIFA World Cup.