Cricket helps children in Argentina escape poverty and crime

Cricket helping children in Argentina fight against poverty and drugs

Most decorated Olympian of all time, Michael Phelps once said, “You can’t put a limit on anything. The more you dream, the farther you get.”

And, these little kids living in an Argentine slum are dreaming big. Living the way they have been living is something that is not very easy, however, cricket has been nothing but a saviour for these children who are fighting crime and poverty every day.

Villa 21-24 in Buenos Aires is one of those slums that people tend to avoid usually because of its high crime rate, but that didn’t stop the kids who have been living in this neighbourhood to play cricket. More so, cricket has improved their life.

Their team which consists of students between the ages of eight and 15 from a certain St. George’s College, is known as the Caacupe cricket team, and has already been recognized by the International Cricket Council. They were awarded the Best Spirit of Cricket Initiative by ICC, and are being used as a global example for expanding the sport.

“It’s a real recognition not only of the development of this project but also of the way in which we are coaching the children” said Daniel Juarez, a former cricketer and the brains behind this initiative.

The children are said to hold practice sessions twice every week, and they are growing strong in numbers. According to TVNZ news, upto 30 children have now been enrolled into the program.

“It has to do with sport being a living school, a channel of values,” Rev. Pepe Di Paola, a close friend of Pope Francis said. “Kids from the slum have had the chance to play in big games, some of them have even gotten to travel by airplane to other places.”

Di Paola is known for his involvement in this initiative and his fight against drugs in these Argentina’s slums.

“It has been a really positive experience,” he added.

Three players from Caacupe cricket team have been selected to play for the national Argentine youth division team, including fourteen-year-old Alexis Gaona who travelled to Peru last year to play for the Argentine u-13 team. “You can really use it in life as well. From here you have a reference for the rest of your life,” said Gaona.