For Jill Boon, international hockey player with the Red Panthers of Belgium, taking action to tackle social exclusion is of the utmost importance if all a country's residents, from the youngest child upwards, are to feel part of the society they live in.
It is one of the reasons she co-founded the MW Fund, a charity that aims to use sport to help children who are deprived or disadvantaged in some way.
"Hockey and all sports in general are my main passion but I always wanted to get involved in more social work. I'm convinced that sport is an amazing way to help children who are living out on the street. The main goal of the MW Fund charity is to give every underprivileged child in Belgium access to sport."
The figures are shocking, particularly for a wealthy country such as Belgium. Boon says, "The number of people living in poverty in Belgium are dramatic. There are 420,000 children living below the poverty line. These include families where no-one has a job, one-parent families and immigrants who have recently arrived here are the most vulnerable. Their situation means they are threatened with social exclusion."
Boon is one of three co-founders of the charity. Speaking about her work with the organisation she explains the rationale: "I have always thought sport could help a lot in a child's life. Sport teaches you discipline and respect. Importantly it teaches you how to fall and to get up and try again. The recent events in Brussels (terrorist attacks) only confirmed to an even greater extent that we should do something."
The MW Fund, which is a national project, helps out in very practical ways. It pays membership fees or entry fees for deprived children to enable them to participate in projects, sports clubs or other activities. It is all about encouraging children to engage in a sport, says Boon.
This important work is supported by a whole raft of Belgian sports stars. Boon has managed to get both the men's and women's national hockey teams – the Red Lions and the Red Panthers – involved as ambassadors; Manchester City and Belgium footballer Vincent Kompany, tennis star Kim Clijsters and a host of other stars have all put their names – and actions – to the project.
Boon explains some of the things that the ambassadors are doing to raise funds and awareness. "To fund the future projects we'll hold a range of different events, sporting and otherwise. Dine with a Star is one of these. Celebrities from all parts of the country, even some people based in France, are giving a diner away via an auction. For example, you can bid to have a dinner with me and my brother."
Other activities include a 20k race through Brussels, a beach hockey tournament on the 18 June and a training clinic for children with both the men and women's national teams providing coaching, and a mass dining event in October.
The actions of Jill Boon and her fellow hockey stars is just one more way in which hockey players are backing the FIH Hockey Revolution and raising the sport's profile across communities. For more information about the FIH's 10-year strategy, click here.
For more information about the MW Fund, click here.
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