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Keira Knightly in the GOAL shelter in Addis Abbaba with, from left;
Esubalew Shimelis (13), Adane Mehrete (13) and Eyayu Bekele also
13.
THE Pirates of the Caribbean star, Keira Knightley, took
time out from filming the sequel to the massive blockbuster recently
to visit GOAL projects in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa. Ninteteen-year-old
Keira left her film persona behind as she showed some of the street
children in the GOAL project some of the soccer skills she honed
in Bend it like Beckham.
The gorgeous star, who is set to appear on the big screen again
this summer in the long-awaited King Arthur, was guided
around the streets of Addis Ababa by children who have recently
joined the GOAL street kids project. Keira saw first-hand where
and how the city’s homeless children live, and was shocked
by the sight of young children sleeping in the central reservation
of the main road in the capital.
She also visited three of GOAL’s night shelters, the only
place that some boys and girls can go to sleep safely. Delighted
with a visit from the stunning star, the children performed a drama
about street life and shared their moving life stories with Keira.
GOAL-run drop-in centres provide street children, many of whom
have been orphaned by HIV/Aids, with basic training and opportunities
for employment. At three of the shelters, Keira met teenagers who
are now living and working in the community as a result of the skills
training they received at the centres, and heard of their success
in their new jobs as chefs, factory workers and carpenters.
Keira visited the GOAL projects in Addis Ababa with a group
from Comic Relief, including Love Actually star Andrew
Lincoln and Four Weddings and a Funeral writer, Richard
Curtis and saw first-hand how much can be achieved with much-needed
funds.
GOAL has worked in Ethiopia since the devastating 1984 famine and
now focuses on caring for street children in the capital city and
providing health services to rural populations
(Right-hand picture - and front - shows Keira with 13-year-old
Fisha Eyob)
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