Street Child United launches GOAT NFTs to raise money to support street-connected children
23rd September, 2022, London: Street Child United (SCU), a UK based charity using the power of sport to change the way the world sees and treats street children, has today revealed plans to become the first charity in the sport for development sector to release an NFT (non-fungible token) collection, in order to raise funds to support street children from across the globe to participate at the Street Child World Cup (SCWC) 2022.
The Street Child United GOAT – ‘Greatest of All Time’ – NFT collection has derived from the popular connotation associated with football legends, Messi, Ronaldo, and Pele; SCU is applying the acronym to the young children they serve – children living in street situations worldwide – promoting them as the ‘Greatest of All Time’.
The idea to use GOATs as the lead character was further reinforced when the concept was shared with SCU Young Leaders (past participants of SCWC events) who added: “Just like street children, goats often live in dangerous places and have mountains to climb”, making the GOAT the perfect character to embody the 28 teams, and young people joining the SCWC in Qatar this October.
280 unique GOATs in the first herd
There will be 280 GOATs in the first ‘herd’ of the NFT collection – one for every child participating at the SCWC. Each GOAT is unique with distinct characteristics that reflect the participating teams including: the 24 countries represented, the Sustainable Development Goals the teams advocate for, and whether they are in a boys or a girls team.
Supporters will be able to purchase their GOAT from 27th September at a cost of $100 per NFT. However, they will not know which GOAT they have until they are officially unveiled on 11th October, when the SCWC tournament kicks off. Each of the GOATs is an NFT on the Ethereum blockchain. Owners can purchase their GOATs either using crypto currencies or a credit card with 100% of the profit being donated to SCU.
Street Child United works alongside partner organisations who support children living in street situations in their respective countries and communities. It is the partner organisations that bring the teams to the Street Child World Cup to advocate for the children’s rights and help shift the negative treatment of street children worldwide.
100% of the money raised from the GOAT NFT collection will go into a legacy fund for each of the participating teams at the Street Child World Cup. Funds will be allocated to three key areas of development that each partner organisation works toward: access to education, access to healthcare and securing legal standing for the children they serve.
“We are so excited about launching the SCU GOAT NFT collection. We are always looking at new and creative ways to raise awareness and educate people of the adversities that these vulnerable young people face day-in, day-out. We firmly believe no child should be living on the streets anywhere and we hope by launching our NFTs not only can we raise vital funds to support them, but that we can evoke action at a top level to drive the legislative change needed to ensure these children are protected and have the opportunities for a fair and equal future.”
The SCWC 2022 is a unique 10 day event taking place in Doha, Qatar from 5th – 15th October which will bring together 28 teams, representing 25 countries, for a football tournament, a festival of arts and a child–friendly congress. The event offers a platform for the participating young people to advocate for their rights including: the right for legal identity; the right to protection from violence; the right to access education and the right for gender equality.