Lubis Ratno, who is working on several projects with D2D Sports since he left the Singapore Police Force, came across a group of women at the Charis Turf in Singapore recently.
The venue is home to the Sahara International Futsal League.
He approached them, wanting to find out more about the group. This is because D2D Sports is looking to restart its Women Futsal League.
The women futsal players were gearing up for the Foreign Domestic Worker (FDW) National Day Futsal Cup Challenge 2022. The tournament was held last Sunday (Aug 14), at the Charis Turf.
This is the segment of society Ratno has a soft spot for, as his wife used to work as a domestic worker in Singapore before returning to the Philippines.
Some of the Filipinas preparing for the tournament were barefooted, while others wore dresses, instead of proper outfits. Ratno then reached out to the group via Facebook and got in touch with their captain, Lolitha Bartido Genilla Torate.
Ratno went on to sponsor a pair of astroturf shoes and a pair of goalkeeper gloves for the team. He also bought sandwiches for the team and was at the tournament to cheer them on.
The tournament is the brainchild of a man who only identified himself as Osman. It was first organised in 2019.
Osman organised the event as he felt no one cared to understand the lives of foreign domestic workers who leave behind their families and friends for years on end to earn an income.
The best, he felt, he could do was to entertain them and get them to indulge in their talents and skills. The tournament has grown and attracted 13 teams this year. Osman feels more teams will be a part of this initiative in years to come.
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, he lost his previous sponsors and had to start from scratch this edition.
Aside from this futsal tournament, Osman also organises volleyball and karaoke competitions, and even acting classes for foreign domestic workers.
The long-term goal of this futsal tournament very much depends on the possible financial backing he will get from sponsors. After all, he has invested a lot of his funds in organising these competitions.
Foreign domestic workers in Singapore get a day off in a week, and it’s often on a Sunday.
They would usually gather at various spots in the republic – Orchard Road for those from the Philippines, City Hall for the Myanmar nationals, while the Indians will be at Little India. Most of the Indonesians would be at Geylang Serai.
Many would never have imagined that there were talented footballers or sportsmen/sportswomen among them. I truly hope Osman gets the funding he needs.
We, at D2D Sports, will also do what we can to support these amateur women athletes through our expertise in sports and events management.
FDW National Day Futsal Cup Challenge 2022
Champions: FC Perdana Muda (Indonesia)
1st Runner-Up: Red Forces (Myanmar)
2nd Runner-Up: Golden Myanmar (Myanmar)
This is the personal opinion of the writer and does not necessarily represent the views of Twentytwo13.
