Khoren and Open Fun Football Schools

There are several orphanages in Armenia which gave shelter to children whose parents passed away or abandoned them because of their poor social-economic condition.

The orphanage in Gyumri city after Fridtjof Nansen, the famous Norwegian researcher and scientist, the winner of Nobel Prize for peace, gathered 75 children.

 

We would like to tell you a story of a talented boy Khoren who has been living in this orphanage since he was born. Khoren was born with physical limitations; he was small for his age and weak. Life was not fair to him from the beginning. His parents, who were medical doctors, abandoned the sick child who was placed in the orphanage.  Khoren was growing up under the care of his teachers, enjoying the love and attention of his friends: he was smart and interested in reading, music and sports. One day he was sitting in the library reviewing the newspapers when he read an article about Cross Culture Project Association and its program of Open Fun Football Schools which was implemented in several countries including Armenia.  It engaged boys and girls, children with physical impairment and diabetic children. Khoren learned that this project was organizing events throughout all regions of Armenia.

 

 

An idea came to Khoren’s mind: it would be wonderful if kids in our orphanage will learn the new games and exercises! Probably, these exercises would help me recover and walk with no pain in my legs. Khoren told his friends about the international football schools who too started to dream about the day when the instructors of football schools would visit their orphanage.

 

And suddenly their dream was heard - in October 2009 the director of orphanage Mrs. Anahit gathered the children and announced that the instructors of Open Fun Football Schools would visit from Yerevan soon and organize football events for children.

 

Khoren and his friends could not wait for the coming event. In the morning children put on their best clothes and waited impatiently for the guests.  Early in the morning Khoren was already working out in the gym as he wanted to be like everyone. His leg was not obeying him but he trained his body over and over again.

 

At last a mini-van with the sign “OFFS” stopped near the orphanage. The children gathered around the van watching people in sport clothes carrying bright balls, T-shirts, hula-hoops and what not. The guests greeted the children warmly and told that they arrived on behalf of the Fun Football Schools to teach the new games and exercises to the orphanage kids.

 

Children were given out T-shirts and balls. Khoren tried the white T-shirt on as he thought it was a great match to his black hair. Finally the referee declared the kick off. All children were actively involved in the game: the dark blue ball was flying from one part of the pitch to another. Khoren gathered all his forces and took a flying kick at the ball. He crossed the ball and ran forward to the gates. It seemed that Khoren completely forgot about his weak legs, in exultation he was able to reach the gates and… shouts of admiration, delight, and his friends’ congratulations helped the happy boy to realize that he did something unusual and he was able to do so! He scored his first goal and proved that it is possible to fight and win and that the one must not surrender or give up.

 

The game was over but the spirit of holiday and joy was still going on. The guests and trainers were invited to the concert hall of the orphanage where a surprise was waiting for them.  The curtain moved and a nicely dressed boy appeared with a microphone in his hand.  The guests immediately recognized today’s winner…yes, it was Khoren!

 

A beautiful magic voice with a soft timbre bewitched the hearers. Khoren’s song was about France, a far away fairy country, about waking up early in the morning and seeing the sunshine, about birds’ singing and being happy.  Khoren sang a lot of songs in different languages. He was indeed talented,

yet very humble and shy.

 

The football and music event was over. But the orphanage children will always remember the happy hours presented by OFFS program and its official Football and Social Responsibility Partner-UEFA. And we, the active members of this project, will do everything to make the aim of CCPA project and the Grassroots Department of Armenian Football Federation a reality - to encourage reconciliation and integration among people through dialogue, collaboration and through playing and enjoying together.