Sport Relief 2008 (trail)  Other videos related to this item:
Solange's Story
Solange is 10 years old and lives on a dump in Brazil with her mum, sister and 5 brothers. The family don’t have much money and spend their days collecting bottles to recycle, which provides them with enough money for a bit of food. Although children aren’t supposed to work, they don’t have much choice and have to make sure that the police don’t catch them. The dump is a dangerous place to live, as well as being dirty and full of rats and scorpions.
Thanks to money raised through Sport Relief, Solange and her family have a brighter future. A project called Passage House is helping her get into school and move away from the dump. It also means she can have a hot meal, shower and the chance to play safely.
Jessica's Story
Twelve year-old Jessica lives in a favela (slum) in Recife, Brazil. Her area is very poor and many people make money by selling drugs. Life was really tough for Jessica, who’s parents both drank, so she had to look after her younger brother and sister.
Things got better when she started going to the Passage House project, which is supported by money raised through Sport Relief. They helped her mum to stop drinking and learn new sewing skills, so that she can earn some money. The project also teaches young people from the favela about the dangers of drugs and how they can avoid them.
Jack's Story
Jack’s 10 years-old and a huge football fan! He also helps to look after his older sister Sarah, who has cerebral palsy, which means she has difficulties walking and talking. Jack helps to feed Sarah her milk through a tube and is learning the best way to lift her from her wheelchair to other places. As his mum has a disease which affects her bones and makes it hard for her to do things around the house, Jack also helps with the washing, cooking and cleaning.
Each week, Jack attends a project called Ormiston Fenland Young Carers, along with 12 other young people who help look after family members who need special care. Life for young carers, can be stressful, tiring and isolating, but the project gives them access to support and a chance to share their experiences with people who understand. It’s also a great opportunity to get away from their responsibilities for a short time.
Martin's Story
Martin is 15 and lives in Belfast. His house is near an ‘interface,’ which is like a boundary between two communities. The area has been affected by violence and conflict between Catholics and Protestants for many years. It’s much more peaceful now, but there are still riots close to his house. There’s also a lack of opportunities and many young people hang around parks and streets drinking alcohol, taking drugs and starting fights.
Martin has managed to stay out of trouble due to a project supported by money raised through Sport Relief, called Midnight Street Soccer. They run football training sessions and tournaments between 9pm and midnight, when most of the problems happen. It doesn’t matter if you’re Catholic or Protestant – everyone wants to play football and have fun. It has had a hugely positive effect on the whole community as people understand each other better and even have the chance to do train as coaches.
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