The Homeless World Cup today announced a partnership with Women Win to bring the powerful life-changing benefits of football to thousands of homeless women and their communities around the world.

The partnership begins with 20,000 euros funding from Women Win for the development of women's grass roots football in Colombia, enabling Team Colombia to make its debut at the Melbourne 2008 Homeless World Cup.

In addition, Women Win also initiates a Challenge Award of 5,000 euros that will be awarded to one of the community organisations participating in the Homeless World Cup in December to help them implement their ideas for sustainable programs for homeless girls and women in their home country. As the partnership grows it will also look for opportunity to create social enterprises that contribute to sustainable change for women and girls and their communities.

The Homeless World Cup is an annual international tournament, which provides the opportunity for people who are homeless to change their own lives. The sixth Homeless World Cup takes place in Melbourne from 1-7 December 2008, which will include the first Women's Cup in the tournament's history. 8 national women's teams will participate from Cameroon, Colombia, Ivory Coast, Uganda, Zambia, Liberia and Paraguay.

Australia is fielding three reserve players in the Women's Homeless World Cup - Cheryl Dunleavy, Michelle Jerram and Stacey Radaic, all from Melbourne. These players can be drafted into any all-female side that has three or more injured or unavailable players during the tournament

77% of players involved experience a significant life change; no-longer using drugs and alcohol, moving into homes, jobs, education, training, repairing relationships and becoming coaches or players with semi-pro teams. 94% claim to have a renewed motivation for life. Michele da Silva played for Team Brazil at the Copenhagen 2007 tournament and was recently selected for Brazil U21's women's squad. Cherie from Team Liberia has won a four-year athlete scholarship to a USA college.

Mel Young, Founder and President, Homeless World Cup commented: "Women participating in previous Homeless World Cups have been tremendously successful in changing their lives. They become change-makers and inspirational leaders in their communities. We want to invite many more women to participate and a partnership with Women Win that will grow as both organisations develop is great way to create effective lasting change."

Founder and Executive Director of Women Win, Ms Astrid Aafjes said: "Homeless World Cup and Women Win share mutual values and goals using sport as an empowerment strategy for homeless and disadvantaged girls and women worldwide. By working together we can further raise awareness and have a greater impact."

"Women Win is proud to support the Colombia homeless women's team this year. The position of women is very difficult in Colombia due to the years of conflict. Especially this group, homeless women, they suffer from gender related violence, low levels of education and are working on the streets from young ages"