KUALA LUMPUR: In Cameron Highlands, a group of young Orang Asli footballers play with nothing, but heart, barefoot and torn balls on uneven ground.
Their team are known as the Botaks, which ironically reflects a team quite bare in football equipment.
The boys come from Sekolah Kebangsaan Lemoi, a remote school where they still dream of football greatness despite what little they have.
Their only glimpses of Manchester United stars like Casemiro, Bruno Fernandes, Harry Maguire and Alejandro Garnacho came through television broadcasts if they were lucky to have access.
Jerseys, boots and professional equipment were things they only saw on TV screen, social media, or in faded old magazines.
But last week, they received something unexpected — the football gear that was used in Manchester United's recent friendly game against the Asean All-Stars at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil.
The gift came as a collaboration between public relations agency ShekhinahPR and football marketing consultancy ProEvents. Fifteen pairs of brand-new football boots were also donated to the school.
For these children, who come from poor families and live in areas where basic facilities are often lacking, owning boots or equipment worn by world-famous players make them feel on top of the world.
"We believe that sport has the power to change lives," said ShekhinahPR CEO Christopher Raj.
"Through this contribution, we hope to spark passion, build confidence, and encourage these young children to pursue their football dreams with pride and purpose.
"Seeing their faces light up while receiving boots and gear used by United in their match against the Asean All-Stars truly moved us.
"This is not just a donation. It is a statement that they belong, that they matter, and that they are part of the global football family," he said.
The symbolic handover took place during a small dinner event in Kuala Lumpur, attended by representatives from the school and the match organisers.
For the children of Lemoi, it was a surreal moment. They may not have been in the stadium that day, but now they owned something that was part of it.
If one of them becomes an international star one day, the inspiring gift from the Red Devils may have something to do with it.
