Sport Indonesia Project #50777

Develop Life Skills Through Sport for 300 children

by Yayasan Kampus Diakoneia Modern

Develop Life Skills Through Sport for 300 children

Project Report | Jun 30, 2026
10 Boys who Across the Continent to Fight in Street Child World Cup 2026

By Jessica Hutting | Project Manager

Indonesian Team in Street Child World Cup 2026

After undergoing a series of selection rounds that began in 2024 through scouting at the Children's Futsal Jamboree, 10 boys were chosen to represent Indonesia at the Street Child World Cup 2026 in Mexico City. They have completed a selection and training process lasting more than a year to become part of this Indonesian national team.

Prior to departure, these 10 boys underwent a centralized Training Center (TC) from April 11 to May 3, 2026. During the training camp, they participated in a series of physical conditioning and football drills, English classes, public speaking lessons, a general introduction to Mexico, mental and psychological preparation for athletes, dance performance rehearsals, travel preparation classes for going abroad, as well as 6 trial matches against 3 football academy teams, 1 national private school, 1 international school, and student-athletes from Jakarta. This series of activities was designed as a final preparation and consolidation to further boost the players' confidence ahead of the SCWC 2026.

After a 33-hour journey across 3 continents (Asia, Europe, and America), they finally arrived at the SCWC 2026 venue in Oaxtepec, Mexico. Generally speaking, the activities at the Street Child World Cup 2026 were divided into 3 major sections: the Children’s Congress and General Assembly, the Football Tournament, and Art and Cultural Performances.

1. Children’s Congress and General Assembly

The Children’s Congress and General Assembly are vital components of every SCWC event. This forum provides a platform for participants to voice their aspirations, which are later conveyed to their respective national governments and global bodies.

The Congress Methods

Fictional Characters: Participants share children's rights issues in their countries by drawing a fictional character that represents their community. They depict the obstacles faced by this character, alongside their needs, hopes, and dreams. These characters symbolize marginalized children.
Red Cards: Participants use red cards to symbolize obstacles that must be resolved immediately to help the character obtain basic rights and achieve their dreams.

Team Indonesia's Representation

Team Indonesia created a fictional character named "Steven The Silverman," representing street-connected children. The key obstacles highlighted for this character include:

Lack of shelter and proper housing
Poverty
Lack of a support system (family and friends)
No legal identity
Difficulties accessing education and healthcare facilities
The risk of not securing decent employment in the future

Three Demands for the Government and Society

Based on these challenges, Team Indonesia formulated three key demands:

Environmental Quality: Build and expand high-quality, eco-friendly waste management systems to reduce pollution (air, soil, water) so children can grow and develop healthily.
Child Protection: Ensure the enforcement of systems and regulations regarding child protection, and strengthen community-based child support systems.
Legal Identity: Guarantee legal identity rights for 100% of Indonesian children and simplify legal identity procedures for children in vulnerable or special conditions.

The Declaration: These demands were read by Mohamad Azriel Aliansyah during a joint declaration with participants from 20 other countries at the General Assembly on May 14, 2026. The event took place at the Teatro Hidalgo Ignacio Retes in Mexico City and was attended by Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, as well as legendary U2 band members Bono and Larry Mullen Jr.

During the Congress, Indonesia was represented by Izul Hamid in a round-table discussion focusing on real-world issues. In addition to the main aspirations, Izul raised an urgent local issue: regulating the traffic schedule of cargo trucks/containers around the Cakung-Cilincing-Bekasi route, as it causes severe traffic congestion and air pollution from North Jakarta to Bekasi City.

2. Football Tournament

Another crucial part of SCWC 2026 was the football tournament itself, played in a 7 v 7 mini-soccer format. This year featured a new tournament structure:

Tournament Structure

Every team played 2 matches in the qualification round.
Boys' Category: The top 8 teams with the highest points advanced to the Cup Stage, while the bottom 7 teams entered the Shield Stage. Both stages then competed independently to crown their respective winners.

Qualification Round

Team Indonesia was grouped with Pakistan (SCWC 2022 Runner-Up) and India (SCWC 2022 Quarter-Finalist). Matches lasted 10 minutes $\times$ 2 halves and took place on Saturday, May 9, 2026, at 15:00 local time.

Indonesia lost to Pakistan (2-0) and India (3-1).
However, Indonesia earned 1 Green Card, which brought their total to 1 point.
Consequently, Indonesia was placed in the Shield Stage along with six other teams: Argentina, Chile, Hungary, USA, Mexico IMSS, and Mexico Equipo Ikoots.

Shield Stage & The Road to Victory

Indonesia's performance surged during the Shield Stage:

Group Matches: Defeated Chile (2-0) and Mexico IMSS (2-0), and secured 2-2 draws against both Argentina and Mexico Equipo Ikoots.
Combined with 4 Green Cards, Indonesia accumulated a total of 10 points, finishing 2nd in the Shield Stage group and advancing to the semifinals.
Semifinal: Indonesia defeated Hungary with a convincing 4-0 score, booking a spot in the final for a rematch against Argentina.
The Grand Final: A fierce match ended in a 1-1 draw during regular time. Indonesia ultimately clinched the victory in a dramatic 3-2 penalty shootout.

The three penalty scorers were Raehan Alfarezi, Aryo Topan Artha Gading, and Deno Mazra Rasyid, while goalkeeper Samuel Steven Siagian made the crucial deciding save. With this victory, Team Indonesia brought home the Shield Category Championship Trophy.

The Green Card Concept

A unique feature of SCWC 2026 was the implementation of the Green Card, awarded to teams displaying positive behavior—such as unique goal celebrations, resilience, celebrating with opponents, caring for injured players, and other acts of sportsmanship.

A Green Card added 0.5 points during the group stage. This system transformed the tournament environment, balancing competitive drive with friendship and joy.

Note: We plan to adopt this Green Card concept into our annual competition, the Jambore Futsal Anak (Children's Futsal Jamboree), to foster sportsmanship, fair play, and respect.

U2 members Larry Mullen Jr. and Bono opened the final match and cheered for all participants. The semifinal and final matches were held at a different venue from the group stage: the Parque Ecológico Lago de Texcoco stadium.

3. Art and Cultural Performances

Art and cultural performances added immense vibrancy to SCWC 2026, serving as a powerful medium for children to express their voices and opinions.

Art Mediums: Children expressed themselves through screen printing, drawings, drama, banners, music, dance, murals, and flyers. Several of these pieces were exhibited during the General Assembly.
Cultural Performance: During the Late Show cultural night, Team Indonesia performed a contemporary regional medley dance combining traditional styles from Kalimantan, North Sumatra, and Papua. The performance beautifully depicted the brave spirit of the Indonesian archipelago's warriors.

The participation of these 10 boys in SCWC 2026 was a journey that completely broadened their horizons regarding the world outside their communities and daily lives. For the majority of them, this was their very first time flying on a plane and embarking on a long-distance journey. They had the opportunity to meet other young people from various corners of the globe, build friendships, and share their life stories along with the challenges they face in their respective countries. For one participant, football is no longer just a sport, but a platform that unites young people from all over the world and from diverse backgrounds.

Upon returning from Mexico, the players had the privilege of meeting several key figures and receiving various forms of appreciation, including from the Minister of Primary and Secondary Education of the Republic of Indonesia, the Mexican Ambassador to Indonesia, and the Vice President of the Republic of Indonesia. They also had the chance to voice their message to the broader public through numerous mass media interviews, emphasizing the importance of access to self-development for every Indonesian child, regardless of their origin or background. Every child and young person has the potential to bring pride to the nation and inspire others. Every child, without exception, must be granted access to education, housing, protection from all forms of violence, healthcare, and a legal identity.

Following their return from the Street Child World Cup, we will be organizing a monthly mentoring program running from July to December 2026 for the players. This monthly mentoring will focus on equipping and preparing the players to map out their future self-development plans. We have also allocated a sum of education and self-development funds for them for the upcoming semester.

The experience of these 10 boys proves that anyone, regardless of who they are, can become a hero for their country, no matter what form of struggle they pursue. These 10 children are the real-life proof of a training and development program built over years. The transformation they have experienced certainly requires support from various parties. Through our programs, we want to ensure that these same opportunities can reach other children who are currently still under our care and development.

Indonesian Team Cultural Performance in SCWC 2026

With Minister of Primary and Secondary Education

With Vice President of Indonesia

Final Indonesia vs Argentina

With Ambassador of Mexico for Indonesia

Links:

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Feb 27, 2026
Digital and Financial Literacy Module Implementing

By Jessica Hutting | Project Manager

Graphic illustrates financial life skills

From mid-June to October 2025, all Program BOLA sites implemented a life skills module through futsal with a digital and financial literacy theme. The module consisted of 12 life skills topics, which are smart goals setting, filtering information, stop-think-decide, setting priorities, delaying gratification, not procrastinating, managing attention, empathy, internet ethics, understanding financial risks, protecting self from financial risks, and managing income and expenses.

Following the module intervention, several impacts were observed among participants, including an increase in digital literacy knowledge, demonstrated by a score of 5.3 before the module intervention became 6.3 after the intervention. Meanwhile, for financial literacy, the score increased from 5.4 before the module intervention to 6.4 after the intervention. Furthermore, participants with a basic understanding of the principles of digital literacy increased from 49% to 54%, and their understanding of the principles of financial literacy increased from 51% to 59%.

Changes also occurred in participants' life skills in digital literacy, such as a 29% increase in internet ethics after the module intervention. This aligns with testimonials from Fajar (13 years old) and Reihan (16 years old), who strive to practice digital ethics by being careful when commenting or posting on social media. Another life skill that improved was attention management, with a 25% increase. Similarly, Azam (11 years old) and Tama (14 years old) experienced changes in their ability to focus on tasks that needed to be completed after the module intervention. Another significant change was their ability to think before posting on social media, with a 22% increase. This is supported by statements from Izul (17 years old) and Yusril (14 years old) that they would only post appropriate and useful content on social media.

Other life skills that have increased are children's appropriate interactions with peers (increased by 14%), limiting screen time (increased by 14%), information filtering skills (increased by 14%), appropriate interactions with elders (increased by 12%), and the ability to empathize in the digital world (increased by 7%).

In terms of life skills related to financial literacy, there was an increase in the number of participants who were able to set financial goals (a 17% increase). This is in line with testimony from Sodikin (17 years old), who stated that he started saving because he had a purpose for using them. Furthermore, the number of participants who were able to manage their income and expenditure increased by 15%. This was seen in Kesyah (12 years old) and Zava (13 years old), who became more frugal with their pocket money after the module intervention. Another life skill within financial literacy that experienced significant change was the ability to consider financial risks, with a 15% increase in participants. Nova (13 years old) stated that by considering financial risks, she tries to avoid borrowing money, especially large amounts, because of the risk of not being able to repay it. Ruth (14 years old) also testified that she avoids all forms of gambling because she is aware of the risk of getting into debt.

The number of participants who have the life skill of considering the item before purchasing increased by 14%; participants who record expenses and income increased by 9%; participants who are able to set priorities increased by 7%; and participants who can delay gratification increased by 4%.

Overall, participants' assessment of how much the module helped them improve their understanding and skills in digital and financial literacy was 7.3 out of 10.

Graphic illustrates digital life skills

Module Implementation Survey

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Oct 30, 2025
Champion in the Pitch, Champion in Life

By Jessica Hutting | Project Manager

Champion Class Participants

From April to August 2025, Program BOLA held the Champion Class, attended by 45 teenagers (24 girls and 21 boys) from various assisted communities. Champion Class is a capacity-building program for teenagers aged 13–18 years old, focusing on digital literacy skills, financial literacy, and reproductive health. Champion Class was held every two weeks in a training and workshop format. In each session, participants are invited to discuss the three main topics mentioned above and provided with materials. Some sessions were also delivered by the youth groups themselves, such as the Growth Mindset and Child Marriage sessions. There are 12 sessions consisting of nine thematic training sessions, as well as three sessions related to public speaking training, preparing presentation materials, and presentation practice.

To conclude the program, participants became peer educators for dozens of other teenagers at the Independence Children Festival, held to commemorate Indonesia's Independence Day this past August. The festival featured 10 presentation topics, including saving, digital shopping safety, financial management, setting SMART goals, netiquette, cyberbullying, stopping hoaxes, gender equality, puberty and self-concept, and child marriage. In addition to serving as peer educators, the Champion Class participants also conducted community service at an orphanage, playing with the children and donating from their savings during the Champion Class program.

Through these activities, participants learned the three principles of money management, the importance of using money wisely, saving, and sharing (Spend, Save, and Share). This is one of the goals of the Champion Class topic, which focuses on financial literacy. Eventhough, the champion class participants are living in the low economic background and limited situation, but they were learning how to contribute to the community.

From Champion Class program, we want that the children not only good at playing football/futsal, but also have a life capabilty to adjust with the situation nowdays, especially ready with the rapid technology development that affected to their digital safety, and hold the values to face the global changing and bad influence. So, they can be champion both in the pitch and life.

Furthermore, Program BOLA is currently conducting intensive training and coaching in preparation for the Indonesian team's participation in the 2026 Street Child World Cup in Mexico City. Currently, 18 boys are actively participating in the training program. Since July, they have focused on strengthening physical endurance, speed, agility, and muscle strength. While adapting their futsal skills to football, they also participate in a champion class program to develop soft skills. In early November, we will work on obtaining passports for all 18 children.

Still in preparation for the Street Child World Cup, Program BOLA was also sending staff representatives to the 2026 Street Child World Cup Summit in Mexico City, last September. We took this opportunity to share some of our experiences from the previous Street Child World Cup with participants from other countries who have just joined the event, particularly regarding fundraising and sponsorship strategy, Street Child World Cup follow-up programs (Young Leader Program), and the role of volunteers in this event.

Since the end of September, the BOLA Program has also been holding its 8th Children's Futsal Jamboree, starting with a Children's Conference, group stage matches, and leading up to the final round, which will be held on November 8th, 2025. This event features four age categories: 11-year-old, 14-year-old boys, 17-year-old boys, and 17-year-old girls. Forty-one teams from 13 BOLA program partner communities will participate. A complete report of this activity will be submitted in the next reporting period.

Youth Led Session in Champion Class

Champion Class Community Service

Street Child World Cup 2026 Preparation Training

Futsal Jamboree 2025 Teaser

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