Ashok Rathod is convinced that soccer is the best way to give kids growing up in the slums a second lease on life. Teamwork, leadership, respect and communication come out of the game for 22 players.

Having grown up in a Mumbai slum himself, Ashok knows exactly which problem the kids there face. Many start drinking and gambling as young as 10, he says, then get married early and drop out of school.

Committed to make a difference, Ashok founded the Oscar Foundation in 2006. The team organizes soccer practices and matches for young people – but also provides an education program aimed at giving school drop-outs basic literacy skills.

Listen to the report by Sanjay Fernandes in Mumbai:

It was a challenge convincing parents to let their girls play soccer (Photo: S. Fernandes)

Suraj (right) is Oscar’s associate director and Kumar (left) participated in the Oscar program and now works as a coach (Photo: S. Fernandes)

The Oscar Foundation focuses not only on soccer – but also on education programs (Photo: S. Fernandes)

Ashok Rathod knows first-hand what it’s like to grow up in a Mumbai slum (Photo: S. Fernandes)

First published on February 26, 2014.

Listen to the report by Falk Steinborn in Siegen, Germany:

Many children in Afghanistan are working rather than going to school (Photo: Zohra Soori-Nurzad)

That’s where Zohra comes in. She is selling colorful scarves in Germany that were stitched by Afghan women to send the revenues back to the Afghan families (Photo: Falk Steinborn)

Zohra also goes to German schools and talks to the children about the kind of life women and their children in Afghanistan are facing (Photo: Falk Steinborn)

The charity is already active in five African countries – Cameroon, Nigeria, Gabon, South Africa and Zimbabwe – and has plans to expand even further. Carlton tries to stand out from other organizations in that he doesn’t focus first on giving the kids material goods. Instead, his first priority is to show them love.

Listen to the report by Ngala Killian Chimtom in Yaoundé, Cameroon:

Carlton says the kids he meets in orphanages are often closer to the things in life that really matter (Photo: N. Chimtom)

Carlton has a team of volunteers who work in orphanages across five countries (Photo: N. Chimtom)

Despite the odds, she managed to get an education in Pakistan. When she realized how fortunate she was, she made the decision to return to Afghanistan and set up orphanages there.

Through her organization, the Afghan Child Education and Care Organization (AFCECO), she is working to give some of the country’s estimated 1.6 million orphans a chance to succeed.

Listen to the report by Mischa Wilmers:

Educating Afghanistan’s orphans

Andeisha knows first-hand what it’s like to live as a refugee (Photo: AFCECO/Andeisha Farid)

Afghanistan is estimated to have 1.6 million orphans (Photo: AFCECO/Andeisha Farid)

In 2010, President Barack Obama even mentioned Andeisha in a speech on social entrepreneurship

Just barley out of university now, he’s already one of the nation’s brightest young leaders.

Listen to the report by Emily Richmond in Dili, Timor Leste:

Committed to non-violence in East Timor

Santos organizes a number of classes for youth, including singing, radio production, dance, music, and capoeira (Photo: E. Richmond)

The participating children range from 3 years old to early 20s (Photo: E. Richmond)

Dan Cole co-founded a Berlin-based collective called It’s Bigger Than, which is doing its bit to raise awareness about the crisis and to raise money to help those in need. Their method? Putting on a party with some of the finest DJs and electronic producers around.

All the DJs play for free. The club donates the space and the party is being put on by a group of volunteers. Party number 2 raised money for Save the Children and featured the likes of Marcel Fengler, Nick Höppner, Iron Curtis, Deep Child and Barbara Preisinger.

The next It’s Bigger Than party will take place in Berlin on September 1, 2013 and this time the money is going to the Mercy Corps.

Listen to the report by Cinnamon Nippard in Berlin:

Techno for the children

Dan Cole says raising awareness can make a difference – a little bit at a time (Photo. Katrina James)

Berlin is a hotspot for techno (Photo: Michelle O’Brien)

Some come for the DJs, others for the cause (Photo: Michelle O’Brien)

Children are most affected by war, says Dan Cole. The last It’s Bigger Than event supported children in Syria through the Save the Children NGO (Photo: Save the Children)

The next It’s Bigger Than event takes place on September 1, 2013

Listen to Gederts Gelzis report from Riga, Latvia:

Laughter is the best medicine

Anete’s character name is ‘Musins’ (Photo: G. Gelzis)

Anete gets help with her costume (Photo: G. Gelzis)

The clown doctors practice acting during a workshop in Riga (Photo: G. Gelzis)

Find more pictures on Anete’s blog.

Listen to the report by Andrew Edwards in Manchester:

UK mentor brightens dying child’s world

Shlomie Abenson wouldn’t miss his volunteer work for the world

Read the article here.

Listen to the report by Gaia Manco in Beijing:

Empowering Chinese kids with books

Mao Jugoes over the blog with a young helper

A young reader in Beijing

A glimpse into the small library

The kids enjoyed reading with reporter Gaia Manco, too

Check out the blog that the kids at the library write every day.