Flercha, Malawi 2008

Flercha became homeless at 16. Due to poverty Flercha and his siblings had to leave their parents and their village to try to make a living in the town slums. Flercha and his siblings stayed in Lilongwe, with nowhere to sleep they slept in a mud kitchen with chickens and goats. “It was hard to survive at times, sometimes we went two or three days without food.”

Flercha, a big supporter of Manchester United and now a striker for the Malawi team, will be attending the Melbourne 2008 Homeless World Cup.“It is a great honour, especially as Milawi is participating for the first time."

The team trains four times a week with exercises including football basics and drills and also behavioural change activities to help players socially. “Football can help me develop both mentally and economically,” said Flercha. “I have already learned from my experience with training that character plays an important role in everything one does,” he said.“I want my family to develop because of me.”