So why are we doing this?
Great question. It's to raise money to build and equip a school for the Dalit Community In India. All money raised will go to an organisation called Relief, Education and Development (RED) International who are building the schools. To find out a bit more about the Dalit Community and why we are doing this read on...
Dalit community - tell me more
In their society, they are called ‘untouchable’ – outcastes; so vile that even their shadows cannot fall on a person of a higher caste.
These people, 250 million strong, make up a quarter of India’s population and have given themselves a name that means ‘down trodden’ or ‘oppressed’ – the Dalits.
The caste system is a religiously sanctioned 3000 year old system that basically says,
"Man was not created equal. There were some people that were created better than other people."
There are many people who say that the caste system does not exist, but it does… all over northern and southern India – in the villages and in the cities.
The caste system is all based on profession so that the high caste do things that are considered the ‘thinking’ jobs – the lawyers, the doctors and the engineers.
The low caste do everything that keeps society alive. They are the agricultural workers and the ones who are tailors, and carpenters.
And then the Dalits are the out-castes – not even considered the lowest of the caste system, but outside of that. They do everything that is dirty, so they butcher meat, tan leather and pick up excrement – both animal and human. 85% of all bonded labourers in India are Dalits.
They are born into the caste system based on the profession of what their father does.
Dalits are denied access to basic rights that others take for granted. Things like access to public parks, public wells, even basic medical services and very limited education.
The majority of them live on less than 50p per day. Those who suffer worst are the women and the children, who are considered worthless, and although ‘untouchable’, they are often sexually and physically abused and exploited by the upper castes.
For years, establishments in India have served drinks to Dalits in clay cups which would then be immediately destroyed after use to prevent so-called contamination from Dalit uncleanliness.
In recent years the Dalits have begun to take a stand for themselves – turning away from the religion that held them down.
In 2001, Dalit leadership made the broad invitation for committed partners to give their children an English-based education, based on a worldview of human dignity and self-worth.
Dalits insist that the only way to change lives and escape the oppression is ‘empowerment through education’.
RED International is one of the organisations dedicated to the construction and development of Dalit Education Centres (schools used for teaching children and to support the broader community).
In 2008 Cambray Baptist Church gave money to build a school in Kalayarkovil which is now well established and home to around 450 pupils.
At the 2009 Cambray FC AGM, the players discussed how they could further sustain this support for the Dalit people and agreed to find ways to raise enough money to build another school.
It seemed only natural that any event should involve football and so plans are well under way to try to break the Guinness World Record for the longest football match ever played, and in doing so to raise in excess of £30 000 to build a school. But more money would also mean we could equip the school and make it useable more quickly.
Please support us and give generously to help provide the means for education for the Dalit children.
These people, 250 million strong, make up a quarter of India’s population and have given themselves a name that means ‘down trodden’ or ‘oppressed’ – the Dalits.
The caste system is a religiously sanctioned 3000 year old system that basically says,
"Man was not created equal. There were some people that were created better than other people."
There are many people who say that the caste system does not exist, but it does… all over northern and southern India – in the villages and in the cities.
The caste system is all based on profession so that the high caste do things that are considered the ‘thinking’ jobs – the lawyers, the doctors and the engineers.
The low caste do everything that keeps society alive. They are the agricultural workers and the ones who are tailors, and carpenters.
And then the Dalits are the out-castes – not even considered the lowest of the caste system, but outside of that. They do everything that is dirty, so they butcher meat, tan leather and pick up excrement – both animal and human. 85% of all bonded labourers in India are Dalits.
They are born into the caste system based on the profession of what their father does.
Dalits are denied access to basic rights that others take for granted. Things like access to public parks, public wells, even basic medical services and very limited education.
The majority of them live on less than 50p per day. Those who suffer worst are the women and the children, who are considered worthless, and although ‘untouchable’, they are often sexually and physically abused and exploited by the upper castes.
For years, establishments in India have served drinks to Dalits in clay cups which would then be immediately destroyed after use to prevent so-called contamination from Dalit uncleanliness.
In recent years the Dalits have begun to take a stand for themselves – turning away from the religion that held them down.
In 2001, Dalit leadership made the broad invitation for committed partners to give their children an English-based education, based on a worldview of human dignity and self-worth.
Dalits insist that the only way to change lives and escape the oppression is ‘empowerment through education’.
RED International is one of the organisations dedicated to the construction and development of Dalit Education Centres (schools used for teaching children and to support the broader community).
In 2008 Cambray Baptist Church gave money to build a school in Kalayarkovil which is now well established and home to around 450 pupils.
At the 2009 Cambray FC AGM, the players discussed how they could further sustain this support for the Dalit people and agreed to find ways to raise enough money to build another school.
It seemed only natural that any event should involve football and so plans are well under way to try to break the Guinness World Record for the longest football match ever played, and in doing so to raise in excess of £30 000 to build a school. But more money would also mean we could equip the school and make it useable more quickly.
Please support us and give generously to help provide the means for education for the Dalit children.
RED International (Registered Charity No. 1112749) & Cambray FC (Registered Charity No. 1130141)