Worldwide over 1 million children are affected by human trafficking. Statistics state that in 2001 there were up to 15,000 children involved in the sex slavery in Cambodia alone. To help combat that, a group of twelve youth girl soccer players and two select coaches from the State of Washington are teaming up to help transition girls rescued from human trafficking and orphanages. The goal is to equip, encourage and provide less fortunate girls an opportunity to earn a spot on Cambodia's newly formed Girls National Team.

Girls organized soccer in Cambodia is relatively new, less than 3 years. The Washington State players and coaches will provide training for girls thru a partnership with the SALT Academy League. SALT Academy is a soccer program developed by Sam Scheweingruber in 2007, in Battambang Cambodia. It currently provides 700+ kids, with 200 of those being girls the opportunity to participate within organized soccer as well as instruction on life skills and personal hygiene. Many of the teams represented within this league are made up of youth from orphanages, NGO's and one team of girls are from a girl's home that rescues and rehabilitates girls from human trafficking. Sam has recently been asked by the Cambodian Soccer Federation to oversee the development of girls soccer throughout Cambodia, as well as forming a Cambodian Girls National Team.

The team will depart July 28th returning August 11th. A great deal of excitement has already been generated with WSYSA (Washington State Youth Soccer Association) donating uniforms, cleats, t-shirts and other things to help these girls in their courageous endeavor. The girls hope this will be a time of great encouragement and hope for the girls they encounter, along with lasting relationships and awareness to girls soccer in Cambodia and throughout the world.

Eddie Carter