«Shakhtar» plays a match with 111 orphans

Today, on May 24, Donbass Arena has hosted the first football game between the main players of FC "Shakhtar" and 111 orphaned children from 5 orphanages of the Donetsk region, called “11 vs. 111”. Shakhtar players decided to hold such a match last year to support “No to Orphancy” project of the Rinat Akhmetov’s Foundation for Development of Ukraine.

111 orphans of 7-9 years from the residential care facilities of Donetsk, Mariupol, Amvrosiivka, Mariinka and Mykolaivka took part in the match. By the way, both boys and girls took the field. The teachers say that children started to prepare for such a match in advance. The match score was 2 to1 in favour of the children.

“We're learning to play as a team - said physical training teacher of Donetsk boarding school No. 1 Elena Logvinova. - The guys are trying to look decent in the eyes of Shakhtar players. “For them it's a huge event - to share the field with the top players.”

The children themselves were looking forward to meeting with their favourite team as well. They have learned the football chants to support both their team and the team of professional rivals. They do not expect to win from the Champions of Ukraine, but are going to play to the full extent of their power.

The match initiators - Rinat Akhmetov’s Foundation for Development of Ukraine - thanked FC “Shakhtar” for the support and promotion of the project "No to Orphancy!", which helps orphans and children deprived of parental care, to find happy families.

“Football has long become more than just a game. I believe that such events can impact the children’s lives - an opportunity to show their worth, test their own strength, and most importantly, make their childhood dream come true. Rinat Akhmetov’s Foundation supports such events, as we increase the chances for these children to find the family,”- said the head of the Rinat Akhmetov’s Foundation’s programs and projects Darya Kasyanova.

We shall remind that FC "Shakhtar" actively supports the project " No to Orphancy!" of the Rinat Akhmetov's Foundation for Development of Ukraine. In particular, thanks to the promotion of the Ukrainian adoption portal sirotstvy.net 5336 of orphaned children have found their families.