Sport, with just a few soccer balls Said is changing the lives of countless refugee youths. Al Quobbeh, Lebanon is home to displaced Palestinian, Syrian and Lebanese families. Life here is violent, precarious and destitute. But among this uncertainty and poverty, there is dignity and hope in the form of 17-year-old Said.
Since he was a young boy, Said has always loved football and dreamed of becoming a professional player – but his idol isn’t a big star. Said’s idol is his Right To Play-trained football coach, Bilal. Using the knowledge and techniques he learned from Bilal, Said has started his own coaching group in his neighbourhood.
Residents have noticed the difference in the team members: they are more disciplined, respectful, punctual and focused. The team has brought peace and hope to the settlement. Said believes he and the boys in his care can rise above their circumstances. Perhaps one day, one of them will in turn gather a group of children around a sandy pitch and show them how to hope.