Football transforms drug addicts’ lives

New Delhi: Sandeep Kumar spent most of his childhood begging, consuming drugs, and stealing around the bylanes of Vikaspuri slum. His life took a paradigm shift when he was introduced to football by a coach, Sylvester Peter.

The sport not only took him out of the clutches of the life he was leading, but also made him realise the importance of education. He now works as a chief cashier in a bank.

Not just him, the lives of many of his friends, who lead the life of vagabonds,  were transformed after being introduced to football by the coach and his academy.

Today Mr Kumar holds an All-India Football Federation D-Licence, the first held by any professional coach. Mr Peter started teaching the sport to a small group of slum kids when he was aged 13 years

After completing his secondary education, he started engaging more and more such children into his ‘My Angels Academy.’ Mr Peter, now 44, is giving an all-round development to hundreds of slum kids whom he calls “angels”. “While studying at a government school, I witnessed closely the ill effects of poverty. and that made me start this initiative. Presently, there are 150 Delhi Angels and 100 Odisha Angels. We have also started a transformation programme in Tihar jail where inmates  between 18 and 21 years are trained,” he said.

Md Tanjeer, a former drug addict, was selected for Liverpool football club and has a promising career. Anand (15) was selected by French club, FC Metz, and is now in the trial process with Tata Football Academy.