UNICEF: The power of football to improve young lives

TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras, 11 August 2008 - When he scored against host country Spain in the 1982 FIFA Wold Cup, Héctor Zelaya grabbed the attention of football fans worldwide. Today, in his home country of Honduras, his influence on the lives of children is no less profound.

The former star, who earned the nickname "Pecho de Águila" (Hawk Chest), is the founder of the wildly successful children's league, Fútbol Para la Vida, which he started in 2002.

"It's one of the strongest programmes in the world, and it's growing. Right now we have more than 10,000 children enrolled. Altogether, more than 25,000 children have gone through the programme and are now living better lives," Mr. Velaya said.

Fútbol Para la Vida is one example of many successful programmes that UNICEF works with to harness the massive potential of sport to improve the lives of children.

To read the full story, visit: http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/honduras_45146.html

Category:

Nonprofits & Activism

Tags:

• UNICEF
• football
• futbol
• soccer
• Héctor
• Zelaya
• Pecho
• de
• Águila
• Fútbol
• Para
• la
• Vida
• FIFA
• children

[Boborasshanti]

all we do is play while those who bought the ball/sports rob our resources and inhibit our development. sports is good but we must first be in total control of our lives, resources, etc before we start kicking a ball that we can't produce ourselves.

[YNPlayCity]

This is an amazing project. Check out our amazing projects to use sports for social change— Youth Noise Play City.