Foundation highlights power of football and play to create transformations
TEN VISITING refugee children from Marawi and 20 Muslim orphans of war from the Dar Amanah Children’s Home in Silang, Cavite, were treated to a football fun day by Football for Humanity Foundation (FFH) and VXI Philippines at the Sparta Football complex in Mandaluyong City recently.
“Our football fun day is quite unique; we have top- flight Belgian coach Nico D’Haenen and his boys leading a kinesthetic workout which I know is a first for our visitors, and we have AFC-licensed Filipino coaches from San Carlos conducting freestyle demos, drills, and small-sided games that also included the grownups,” said to Chris Thomas, FFH founder and overall organizer of the event. “These kids have been through a lot, psychologically and physically, and we believe football, which is a new experience for some of them, will awaken their sense of fun, teamwork, excitement, and love for action.
Bottom line, it is a child’s right to play and we’re bringing back this joy, which is really necessary to erase the trauma of the past year, when their homes, families and friends in Marawi were subjected to the violence and tragedy of war,” added Mr. Thomas.
The traditional kickoff included Her Majesty’s Ambassador Daniel Pruce, VXI Philippines Vice- President for Human Resources Jovy Llanes, Ecosystems Work for Essential Benefits volunteer Nahida Takiri, Azkals Manager Dan Palami, and Mr. Thomas.
Ambassador Pruce expressed his appreciation to be part of the activity and gave the children a short inspirational message, assuring them of the British Embassy’s support in similar initiatives for Marawi.
The British Embassy has been supporting FFH initiatives since 2016.
Mr. Palami said the Azkals are “definitely behind the FFH in their mission to use football as a platform to help individuals and their communities overcome the counterproductive forces in society.”
Mr. Thomas hopes the event will establish the love for football and rekindle a sense of fun and play in the children who will continue to participate in the long-term football development plan of FFH and its sponsors and partners. “We’re confident that one day, we will produce worldclass football players,” added Belle Tiongco, vice-president and cofounder of FFH.
FFH is a charity dedicated to using football and the power of play to create personal and social transformations. It is registered in the United Kingdom and the Philippines, and can be reached at www. footballforhumanity.org, www.facebook.com/footballforhumanity.