MUMBAI, March 23, 2010 - Large crowds gathered to welcome Laureus World Sports Academy Member Steve Waugh as he paid an emotional visit to Mumbai to meet and play sport with disadvantaged children from the slums of the Bombay Port Trust area of the city, at the Laureus-supported Magic Bus project.
Magic Bus is a sport for development project which helps to improve the lives of children living in at-risk communities where the majority of residents live on or below the poverty line in difficult and overcrowded conditions. Magic Bus creates 'classrooms without walls' for these children, using football, outdoor activities and games to give them an opportunity to develop vital personal and social skills that will help them to a better future.
Australian cricket legend Waugh, who was the most successful captain in the history of Test cricket with 41 wins in 57 Tests, said: 'I have a 24 year history with India and am inspired by the people of this great country. For over 12 years I have been involved in charity work in India and over this time learnt a lot about the challenges that young people face. So many of India's children do not have the opportunity to meet their full potential. Magic Bus is an inspirational programme making a difference for some of the children in India. It's been great to meet the kids and everyone involved in the project. I am happy to support this Laureus Sport for Good programme as a Laureus Sports Academy Member. Through sport we can make a real and significant difference to childrens lives.'
At the project, Waugh met Magic Bus founder Matthew Spacie who explained to him that Magic Bus provides opportunities for less privileged children through recreation and sports activities. Activity within Mumbai is focused on the children from the slums in the Dharavi, Mankhurd, Jogeshwari and Bombay Port Trust area of Mumbai where 54% of the population lives below India's poverty line. Outside of Mumbai the programme is reaching out to over 140,000 children in Delhi, Andra Pradesh and rural Maharashtra.
Vodafone, Global partners of Laureus Sport for Good Foundation, selected eight employees to accompany Steve for the Magic Bus initiative. They participated in a fun filled ‘Leg cricket' match with the children.
Founded in February 1999, in partnership with other local organisations, Magic Bus has developed and grown into one of the largest projects of its kind for children from 7 to 18 living in urban and rural poverty in India. The project allows each child to escape the harsh reality of life for a few hours every week. It works to find the abilities and potential within each child, enabling them to build strong and aware communities free of religious and caste prejudice and gender divides. Magic Bus believes in the child's right to a positive future in which they make their own choices and take responsibility for change. Only through this change in mindset can they themselves move out of poverty.
The previous day Waugh had visited the Indian headquarters of mobile communications group Vodafone and spoke to 300 members of the staff.
Waugh's visit to Mumbai follows on the highly successful 2010 Laureus World Sports Awards held in Abu Dhabi earlier this month. The Awards honour the greatest sportsmen and sportswomen of the year and generate support for the work of the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation. Proceeds from the Laureus World Sports Awards directly benefit and underpin the work of the Laureus Foundation.
