Team Egypt: A Breath of Fresh Air Evolves
In 2012, two Cairo University footballers attended a talk by my fellow co-founder, Chris Rose, about the Street Child World Cup at School of Oriental Art (SOAS), London. As passionate footballers and proud Egyptians, they knew Egypt had to be represented at the next tournament.
Determined to make it happen, Karim Hosny and Mohamed “Momo” gathered like-minded friends, reached out to three Cairo-based orphanages, and founded NAFAS—meaning “breath” or “breath of fresh air.” Their efforts paid off, and Team Egypt proudly joined the 2014 Street Child World Cup in Brazil. They returned in 2018 with both boys’ and girls’ teams in Russia, and in 2022, Egypt’s boys’ team lifted the trophy in Qatar.
From small but determined beginnings, great things have grown.
Today, Karim is Head of Partnerships for Right to Dream Egypt, and Momo has recently been appointed to the full board of the Egyptian FA. Their journey in football, built on service to street children, is both inspiring and joyful. As project leaders, they have shaped Street Child United, just as we have hopefully played a role in shaping their path.
Now, with three incredible partners—Aspire, Right to Dream, and NAFAS—Team Egypt continues to evolve:
– Aspire brings a strong track record in education and child development, designing impactful programmes.
– Right to Dream is renowned for nurturing talent and fostering leadership, creating opportunities for young people in Egypt.
– NAFAS remains deeply rooted in football and player development, empowering young people with confidence and skills through sport.
The true impact of our global community is most evident at our global summits and project visits. Spending time with Team Egypt in Cairo was a privilege for Julia and me, and watching these projects and people grow over the past 12 years has been a joy.
We look forward to welcoming them to North America in 2026—Inshallah.
