ChildFund delivers more than 2000 footballs to Gambian Children

ChildFund-The Gambia, Friday handed over more than 2000  footballs to Gambian children, courtesy of One World Play Project.

The handing over ceremony was held at the ChildFund Country office in Kanifing.

Country director Musu Kuta Komma, said the gesture is part of their Gift-in-Kind program which allows them to complement government efforts in the sectors of health and education.

She noted that football is the most popular game in The Gambia in which youth and children are often seen in the streets, football fields and schools.

She added that the game serves as a source of unity, understanding and increasing team spirit among children but also boost their level of confidence and organisational skills which give them the courage to make their voices heard.

Madam Komma said in a recent assessment conducted with children of various age cohorts in one of the communities in ChildFund’s operational areas, children cited that during football games they feel happy to be at the football grounds because they believe that the ground is a safe place for them to meet, interact and discuss a range of issues including child protection concerns, and community based child protection mechanism.

“With all this interest in the game, children mostly struggle to get a ball to play because their parents cannot afford to get them one. Sometimes some would go to other neighborhoods or communities to secure one which is returned after use, and sometimes they are compelled to play by turns due to the lack of balls,” she noted.

According to her, the initiative of One World Football 2019 is meant for children in all regions except for Banjul and Kanifing.

Executive director of National Sports Council, Marcel Mendy described the initiative as a good gesture from One World play project, saying it will encourage children that are not interested in football to play.

He assured ChildFund that the footballs will be put into good use in order to develop the sport across the country.

Musa Mbye, a member of ChildFund-The Gambia board of directors thanked their partners for their support and encouraged them to continue the good work for Gambians.

One World play project is made up of passionate driven and fun loving individuals dedicated to bringing the transformative power of football to youth worldwide, with combined expertise from the social impact, consumer, entertainment, sports, technology and product design fields.