The festival was for boys and girls between 9 and 14 years of age, and this time, we wanted to focus on social inclusion, bringing children from different schools, both on the Thai side of the border, but also children living in the remote jungle on the Burma side. 60 children from 3 different schools in Karen State, came across the border for 3 days to join this magnificent event. In addition, children from Mae Salit another small border village joined the festival, plus around 100 children residing in Noh Bo.

Many of the children especially from the Burma side had never had the opportunity to play football before, let alone participate on anything like this. Many had never seen a white person before, and we needed some time to break down the shyness and cultural barriers. Every “high-five” was a fight to get because of shyness and unawareness of how to deal with the situation. However, three days sharing 24 hours together is a long time to get to know each other and to warm up, so towards the last few days of the tournament, the self-confidence was on a totally different level then when we arrived. This is due to a PlayOnside-team capable of making the children feel safe and comfortable, and it was such a great learning experience for us as well. 

We hope to be able to repeat this event next year, if not before. Noh Bo is such an amazing place, and we always feel so welcome when we visit this special village. UNtil next time, enjoy the pictures below!