This campaign aims to put proper football boots on the feet of talented young players in Mumbai who cannot afford them - so that talent, not a family's income, decides who gets to play.
I have an extensive background playing football (read more about me later in this story) and understand exactly what these kids go through.
THE BACKGROUND :
Mumbai produces talented young footballers, many of whom train early in the mornings and after school, travelling long distances and often struggling to afford even a suburban train ticket to reach the venue. What they often lack is the one thing the game starts with: a good pair of boots that fit. Children and young adults from low-income homes play in hand-me-downs that are the wrong size or have soles about to peel off. Coaches see the same pattern again and again: talent on the ball, pain in the foot.
Poor boots cause blisters, twisted ankles, and dropped attendance, and many coaches, rightly wary of injury, won't let players practise or play in them. A family stretching every rupee for rent, rations, and school fees cannot spare ₹1,000 for football boots, so the player who should be on the team ends up watching from the sidelines. That is the problem this campaign sets out to fix.
CASE STUDY:
A pair of boots will not change the street he lives on. It can change whether he is still on that ground next season.
THE SOLUTION:
A Boot for Every Foot (ABFEF) is my campaign that partners with coaches who already know the players. It provides each child who has already shown commitment by turning up to train with a properly sized pair of football boots and, where needed, basic kit.
Each child will receive a properly sized pair of the boots shown below, a durable, good-quality model chosen to give young players the fit, grip, and protection they need to train and play safely.
THE COST:
ABOUT ME AND THIS CAMPAIGN
My name is Ishaan Tulsian. I am 17-years-old and in Grade 12 at Aditya Birla World Academy, Mumbai. Have played football for the top clubs in Mumbai, D'souza Football Academy and SSE Bengaluru FC, and have gone on trials at teams like West Ham United FC, Paris Saint-Germain, MK Dons. I have trained with coaches from Arsenal FC, Wolves, and the English FA.
I have undertaken this campaign because I play and watch football in a city where the difference between "he will go far" and "he stopped coming" is often a pair of boots. I was surprised to learn how many talented boys and girls from low-income homes in Mumbai train without boots that fit. They are not asking for a stadium. They are asking for the same starting line the rest of us take for granted.
INR 3000 is a small amount to impact one player. Let us together make sure talent, not a family's income, decides who gets to play.
Better gear. Brighter futures.
IMPACT ALREADY MADE AND MAP SHOWING LOCATION WHERE THESE BOOTS WILL BE DISTRIBUTED :
We currently have club and foundation partners from all across Mumbai. We have already helped 3 different semi-professional clubs in Mumbai - SSE BFC, D’souza Football Academy, Iron Born Football Club. Geographically the players we help come from all around Mumbai. We have helped kids staying in Worli all the way to Vasai-Virar.
MY PARTNERS:
We have partnered with a wide extent of clubs as well as foundations. Some examples of the foundations we have partnered with are the Oscar Foundation as well as Seva Sadan Orphanage. Through this we also aim to target the underprivileged population that would like to start playing football recreationally. We aim to increase our partner NGOs in the coming future to help increase the impact this campaign can have.
FEEDBACK THAT FUNDERS WOULD GET
After funds are collected and transferred, a short report would be posted in Updates: how many pairs went out, which coach received them, and (with consent) first name / age / ground. Funders would get an email alert when that update goes live.
Risks and challenges
1. Reaching the right players and fit. Boots only help if they reach the players who need them and actually fit. Coaches at the partner academy will identify recipients using clear criteria. We'll record each player's shoe size and playing surface before ordering, and we'll allow a small buffer of common sizes for growing kids.
2. Misuse or resale. We'll keep a register of recipients (name, size, date, photo with consent) and cap it at one pair per player per cycle. We will follow up to confirm the boots are being used.
3. Accountability. Funders should be able to see where their money went. We'll publish a short report after each monthly cycle, covering the number of pairs distributed, cost per pair, select photos and recipient feedback, so it's easy to see the impact.
4. Cost and supply swings. Boot prices, import duties and stock availability can change. We'll buy in bulk where possible, accept last-season stock from sponsors, and set a per-pair budget cap.
FAQs
How can we fund this campaign with a Cheque?
Fueladream Online Ventures Pvt Ltd account details are as below
BANK NAME: HDFC Bank Limited.
BRANCH: Koramangala( Main Branch). City: Bengaluru - 560095.
ACCOUNT NUMBER: 50200013106778
IFSC CODE: HDFC0000053
Please draw a cheque in favour of "Fueladream Online Ventures Pvt Ltd", and deposit the cheque into the Fueladream Online Ventures Pvt Ltd HDFC Bank account (any branch across INDIA). After you deposit the cheque, please send an email to prasad@fueladream.com AND getintouch@fueladream.com with the following funder information.
1) Name of Funder:
2) Full address with Pin code:
3) Telephone/Mobile no and Email ID:
4) Cheque number:
5) Amount funded:
6) Whose campaign are you funding. (Name of the person OR campaign number/ID): 109615
After the funds are received and the above details are verified, the fund amount will be transferred to the respective campaign. This can take from 1-3 working days.
How does crowdfunding work?
Crowdfunding in India is a relatively new concept and is growing very quickly.
It’s a concept that allows a large number of funders (like you) to fund an idea or a cause or event by giving small amounts of money online. Fueladream.com is a crowdfunding platform in India that allows for such pooling of funds. You can fund innovations and ideas on FuelADream and be the first to get these products or make them come true. You can also do a good turn by funding charities and causes through crowdfunding.
