Reigning Premier League Champions, Manchester City Football Club celebrated the launch of the community football project ‘Goals for Life’ in Mumbai. Club Legend Micah Richards was on hand to help deliver a football session to local children and meet the inspiring Young Leaders who’ll be changing lives through football.

As part of City’s global community work, the Goals for Life project, which is delivered in partnership with local NGO OSCAR Foundation, will see young leaders empower the lives of children in their community by using football as a tool to tackle social challenges. The project is Manchester City’s third community football project in India having previously supported safe water and health and hygiene projects in Bengaluru and Kolkata respectively.

Supported locally by Club technology partner Cisco, the Goals for Life project is designed to promote education among children by delivering football activities on a weekly basis in three communities in Mumbai. It uses football to teach children about the importance of education with the aim of supporting children to complete their education.

Additionally, extra-curricular support and mentoring will be provided to children at risk of dropping out of school. Under the Goals for Life project, a football-based STEM education curriculum will also be developed to further improve education.

Commenting at the event, former City centre-back Micah Richards, said: “Community has always been at the heart of Manchester City and it’s been an absolutely privilege to be here today and meet the inspiring Young Leaders. The Goals for Life project is an important platform that empowers individuals to be change makers in their own communities. The response and support for this cause has been overwhelming. The ability, passion and determination shown by the Young Leaders, and participants will empower and pave the way for the next generation.”

Ashok Rathod, Founder-Director of OSCAR Foundation, commented: “OSCAR Foundation is delighted to join hands with Manchester City for their 2019 Trophy Tour in Mumbai. What’s most remarkable for me about this tour is that Man City is not only connecting with their local fans but also honouring Young Leaders from Mumbai’s slums who have been engaged in various ‘football for development’ initiatives. I believe that football has tremendous power to influence social issues and together we can make a real difference by using football as a tool for development.”

The project is part of City’s Cityzens Giving initiative, which gives fans the opportunity to choose how funds, donated by City Football Group and its partners, fund youth-led community football projects around the world.  The projects, run by young people for young people, use football to tackle social issues affecting their communities. Under this initiative £400,000 has been pledged to support causes including girls’ empowerment, connecting communities, social inclusion, safe water, education and safe spaces across six cities globally. Over the six-week campaign, fans will have the chance to vote for their favourite projects; the more votes a project gets, the greater amount of funding it will receive. To vote for the Goals for Life project and find out more on the projects Manchester City support in India, visit mancity.com/cityzensgiving

City will be heading to Kolkata for the conclusion on its Trophy Tour and are inviting fans to attend an exciting match day screening event on Saturday 23 November at Bakstage Banquet from 9pm. Sign up at mancity.com/citylivekolkata

(Manchester City FC)