Our mission is to work with our Indian partners, The OSCAR Foundation, to create opportunities for children and youth living in low income, slum communities across India. Our focus is to build the capacity of the Indian charity and support the delivery of its education, football and life skills programmes, to develop the Indian staff skills and to buy and supply vital equipment. We work closely to
gether as one team and are pleased to facilitate a number of lifechanging opportunities for the OSCAR beneficiaries, including overseas football tournaments, the Child Sponsorship initiative and the International Young Leader and Volunteer programmes. Girls as young as 12 are still forced into illegally early marriages and youth pregnancies are common. Very young children are sent out to work to help provide for the family and so the cycle of poverty continues. A family home is approximately 3 metres square with over 6 family members living together. Burdened with debt and desperate to provide for their children, parents do not have time to guide their children. OSCAR provides this vital mentorship and safety net. OSCAR protects children from taking the wrong road. The OSCAR Foundation was founded in 2008 by a young boy from the slum community, Ashok Rathod. Unlike many of his friends Ashok’s parents forced him to go to school. Aged 18 he noticed the next generation skiving off school and getting involved in criminal activities. He was determined to try and communicate the value of education. He did this by using football as the tool to engage them. Ten years later there are now over 3,500 children in the OSCAR family. OSCAR’s curriculum includes, education, football, life skills, young leader training and parent workshops. OSCAR has one simple rule, no school, no football. OSCAR International’s key role is to provide funds, resources and expertise to support the delivery of life changing programmes in India. Our combined capability is key to ensuring OSCAR beneficiaries enter the programme at nursery age and graduate empowered and inspired to make significant changes to not only their lives, but that of their family and the wider community.
