UEFA Foundation for Children supporting projects in four sub-Saharan African countries

The UEFA Foundation for Children, in collaboration with Inter Campus, is supporting projects in Angola, Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda to give children greater access to education through football

Children in four sub-Saharan countries are benefiting from the partnership between the UEFA Foundation for Children and Inter Futura, an organisation that falls under the umbrella of FC Internazionale Milano.

Inter Futura helps to run Inter Campus – a social project that helps thousands of children in need around the world every year. Inter Campus and the UEFA Foundation for Children have previously collaborated on two projects in Israel and Palestine, as well as in Venezuela.

The Inter Campus Black ’n Blue project is taking place in Angola, Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda. The aim is to improve children’s education by using football as the catalyst. In order to break down barriers between different communities, local representatives have the opportunity to meet and share their personal experiences.

Four countries

Although there are a number of issues that need to be addressed in each of the countries, with these main topics having been prioritised for each:

Angola: health improvement and crime prevention, using football as a preventive and developmental tool for at-risk children.
Cameroon: improvement of ethnic integration, especially in rural areas, using football as an educational tool for peace in a country where sport is considered almost a religion by many.
Democratic Republic of Congo: targeting street children in rural areas and giving them assistance as early as possible.
Uganda: improvement of gender equality to help to reduce poverty among women, using football as a catalyst to involve more children in education.

Supporting education through football

The UEFA Foundation for Children has teamed up with Inter Campus to try to improve the everyday lives of socially deprived children.

The issues faced can range from poor sanitary conditions to a lack of food, which affects the children’s physical development. Working on and off the pitch with a strong network of partners, Inter Campus hopes to alleviate these difficult conditions and create a virtuous circle from which future generations can benefit.

Inter Campus aims to support education through football and sport, as well as improving gender equality by encouraging the participation of girls. The activities are being delivered through 16 one-week clinics and monitoring visits (four per country). Specialised programmes are also being created based on local partners’ knowledge and Inter Campus’ experience.

The aim is to involve 1,500 children a year across the four countries. A delegation of local coaches will also be given special training to pass on the expertise they have gained to their local colleagues and thus benefit thousands of children across the four countries in years to come.

Football is a powerful tool

UEFA president Aleksander Čeferin chairs the foundation’s board of trustees and hails the work undertaken since 2015, and how football is proving to be a major force for social good.

“Having had the opportunity to be personally involved in various projects, I have seen that football is an extremely powerful tool,” said the UEFA president.

“Whether it is in refugee camps across the world, the troubled suburbs of European cities or forgotten conflict zones, all the activities supported by the UEFA Foundation for Children have strengthened my desire to see European football assume its role in the social development of young people all over the world.”

“I would also like to pay tribute in this regard to FC Internazionale Milano, who, through Inter Campus, have been working tirelessly to improve the lives of children so they have the chance to dream of a better future.”

One million children

In the five years since the UEFA Foundation for Children was set up, around one million children have benefitted from its broad palette of activities worldwide, while it has provided support for projects in 100 countries on all five continents. Through sport, and football in particular, the foundation is helping to give hope to children from difficult backgrounds to help them achieve their goals in life.

I am delighted the fruitful partnership between Inter Campus and the UEFA Foundation for Children will be continuing for another two years.

This is the third project we will work on together, after projects in Israel and Palestine, and in Venezuela, and as always, both our organisations share the same goal – to help and improve the lives of as many children across the globe as possible.

- Javier Zanetti, vice-president of FC Internazionale Milano and former player for the club for almost two decades

©Contigo Media for Inter Campus

Angola

©Contigo Media for Inter Campus

Cameroon

©Contigo Media for Inter Campus

Democratic Republic of Congo

©Contigo Media for Inter Campus

Uganda

Project partner

UEFA Foundation for Children supports Common Goal COVID-19 Response Fund

Time for global action, solidarity and collaboration

Less than 24 hours after the creation of the Common Goal COVID-19 Response Fund, the UEFA Foundation for Children decided to support the initiative, making it the fund’s first institutional supporter. It is hoped this investment will send out a clear message of solidarity within the global football community and help Common Goal make a positive impact through its existing network of football charities working with young people in over 100 communities severely affected by the new coronavirus.

The UEFA Foundation for Children provides financial support and services to organisations worldwide that place children rights at the heart of their projects. By supporting the Common Goal COVID-19 Response Fund, the aim is to help to tackle the immediate effects of the pandemic on children and young people and ensure that support continues beyond the initial emergency response, with a focus on deprived communities and conflict settings.

ENGLISH - SERGE GNABRY - VIDEO COMMON GOAL COVID19 RESPONSE

In addition to its COVID-19 Response Fund, Common Goal has also announced the Live Match platform, in which players commit the 90 minutes they are no longer spending on the pitch to create positive outcomes at this challenging time. Manchester United player Juan Mata, the first player to join Common Goal back in 2017, will kick off the first Live Match this evening, Thursday 9 April, at 19:00 CET.

Mata will use his Instagram platform to connect with fans. The Bayern Munich and German international player Serge Gnabry, as well as a football-based community organisation that he is supporting through Common Goal will join. This is a really positive step for the Common Goal COVID-19 Response Fund.

“Welcome to the team, UEFA Foundation for Children,” Mata said. “To overcome the coronavirus, and the other challenges facing humanity, we need to coordinate individual efforts and work together as a team. I'm urging not only my Common Goal team-mates, but all other players and football leaders around the world to unite and help tackle this crisis, and at the same time use this as a catalyst to play a key role in tackling the other challenges humanity faces. Together we can beat this.”

Common Goal CEO Jurgen Griesbeck said: “In the midst of this crisis, football has the chance to realise its full potential in playing a leading role in shaping the world. Together, with everyone who loves football in support, the sport has a real opportunity to have a positive impact. We are delighted to have the trust and support of the UEFA Foundation for Children.”

How to support the Common Goal COVID-19 Response Fund

Donations can be made here.

Players who want to join the Common Goal team and pledge to support Common Goal at this critical time can do so at here.

In addition to making donations and joining the Common Goal team, individuals and organisations from the world of football and beyond are encouraged to follow the Common Goal Live Matches, starting with Juan Mata tonight.

In these difficult times, which affect many countries and the most fragile populations especially, it is important to coordinate and organise responses that are adapted to the needs of each situation. It is for this reason that the foundation board decided to join this initiative and allow football to play a role of social responsibility.

- Aleksander Čeferin, UEFA president and chairman of the foundation’s board of trustees

About Common Goal

Common Goal currently has almost 150 members who pledge a minimum of 1% of their earnings from football to a global network of high-impact charities that empower disadvantaged young people, primarily through football. Members include players such as Giorgio Chiellini, Alex Morgan, Kasper Schmeichel, Eniola Aluko, Shinji Kagawa, Mats Hummels and Megan Rapinoe, managers such as Jürgen Klopp and Julian Nagelsmann, and football industry leaders such as the UEFA President, Aleksander Čeferin. The movement supports the streetfootballworld network of 135 football-based community organisations uniquely positioned to deliver essential support and services in direct response to the coronavirus pandemic in more than 200 communities across 90 countries, benefitting over 2 million young people.

German youth amputee footballer helps design 2020 UEFA Super Cup match ball

Children’s drawings from ten UEFA Foundation for Children projects will feature in the design of the 2020 UEFA Super Cup match ball, including a drawing by two children from Germany.

This season’s UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League winners will play the annual UEFA Super Cup match at the Puskás Aréna in Budapest, Hungary on 24 September at 21:00 CET with a special match ball featuring a series of children’s drawings integrated into the ball’s design.

The drawing by German youngster Jamie and his sister Zadie will appear on the ball. Jamie was amputated when he was just under a year old. He has been playing football from a very young age. Sport, being active and playing football have always been important to Jamie. Zadie, his younger sister, always accompanies Jamie to his football training, games and, of course, to AMPUKIDS events. Football is an essential part of their lives.

Jamie: “For me, football means seeing my friends, being active and improving myself physically. Football is part of my life. At school break, in the afternoon with my friends on the football pitch, or at training in the club, wherever there is a ball, we play. The smile in the painted drawing represents the fun that football gives me.”

“AMPUKIDS has been an integral part of my life for almost six years. The leisure activities we go to twice a year are like meeting our family again. Everyone is equal there and the disabilities are not the focus. It’s normal for prostheses to be put on and taken off, wheelchairs to be exchanged and for us to help and support each other. That's why I'm happy to be there every time.”

Zadie is very proud of her big brother. He is a great role model to her. “My brother Jamie helps me, he plays with me, takes me to kindergarten and supports me. I like football because I can play with him and he shows me how to shoot properly. What I like about AMPUKIDS is that I can see my friends. We experience great adventures together and play all day.”

The drawings are the work of 18 children with different backgrounds from ten European organisations who work together with the UEFA Foundation for Children and were selected by the chairman of the foundation’s board, UEFA president Aleksander Čeferin.

Unique moment

“I’m sure that the children will be thrilled to see their drawings on the Super Cup match ball and to know that stars of our game will be scoring goals with it,” said the UEFA president.

“These young people know the work of the UEFA Foundation and I am proud that they want to be part of one of UEFA’s showpiece events.”

“It was inspiring to see all these excellent drawings and hear the stories of the children. I hope that the joy they feel because their artwork is on the ball for such an important match will motivate them not only to play football but also to follow their dreams.”

Children from across the continent were encouraged to submit drawings showing what football meant to them in a contest organised by the foundation together with its ten partner organisations. Mr Čeferin chose the 18 drawings from a portfolio of more than 200 contributions.

Leading up to the UEFA Super Cup match at Porto’s Estádio do Dragão in August, the UEFA Foundation for Children will tell the stories of the 18 children on the Instagram channels uefa_foundation and @UEFA_official.

AMPUKIDS has been an integral part of my life for almost six years. The leisure activities we go to twice a year are like meeting our family again. Everyone is equal there and the disabilities are not the focus. It’s normal for prostheses to be put on and taken off, wheelchairs to be exchanged and for us to help and support each other. That's why I'm happy to be there every time.

- Jamie

The UEFA Europa League Trophy Tour 2020 driven by Kia to Zaatari refugee camp

The Europa League Trophy Tour 2020 driven by Kia to Zaatari refugee camp

Kia Motors and UEFA Foundation for Children renew their support for refugee children in the Zaatari camp for the second season

The UEFA Europa League trophy tour, driven by Kia, is taking one of UEFA’s most prestigious trophies on the road again, visiting local schools, grassroots clubs and pop-up locations in city centres in six new European countries from February to May. Fans will have the opportunity to see the iconic UEFA Europa League trophy up close and meet with footballing legends. For the duration of the tour, fans of all ages will also be encouraged to donate unwanted football boots, which will be taken to the Zaatari refugee camp in Jordan, the final stop on the tour.

The boots will be distributed to children and youngsters participating in the football programmes set up in the camp, to inspire them and enable them to play in better conditions. Furthermore, having the opportunity to see the legendary trophy coveted by the biggest teams in Europe will be an unforgettable experience for many of the camp’s residents.

“My football boots were my gateway to freedom. These opportunities and freedoms, which I often had to fight hard for yet were possible in our society, are what I want to pass on to girls,” said Tugba Tekkal, a young refugee who grew up in Germany.

The UEFA Europa League trophy tour stops in six new European cities, giving fans the opportunity to get close to the trophy and ambassadors:

7/8 February Frankfurt, Germany

21 February Barcelona, Spain

13/14 March Rome, Italy

27/28 March Amsterdam, Netherlands

1/2 May Manchester, UK

15/16 May Warsaw, Poland

25/26 July Zaatari refugee camp, Jordan

A stellar list of former players has signed up to take part: Michael Owen will be the global ambassador of the campaign, and each stop welcomes a local ambassador on board, such as Thomas Berthold in Frankfurt, Eric Abidal in Barcelona and Jerzy Dudek in Warsaw. Other legends will be announced nearer the time.

“UEFA is delighted to have Kia renew its support of the Europa League trophy tour for a second season,” said UEFA’s director of marketing, Guy-Laurent Epstein. “Both organisations have a strong commitment to corporate social responsibility, and we are extremely proud of this partnership that will bring the tour, trophy and ambassadors to seven countries. Our hope is that the UEFA Europa League trophy tour, driven by Kia will inspire a new generation to lift the iconic trophy, and that the football boots donated during the tour provide refugee children in Zaatari camp with the resources they need to enjoy playing the game and develop their love of football.”

"We are extremely excited to bring back the UEFA Europa League trophy tour, driven by Kia for a second year,” said Artur Martins, Vice President Global Brand & Marketing at Kia Motors Corporation.

“This news is testament to the huge success and popularity of the first year of the campaign. Last year, the tour gave football fans of all ages the chance to see the trophy up close and to donate their football boots to a very deserving cause – which proved to be an overwhelming success. This year, we hope to receive even more donations and continue to support the young refugees in playing a sport that they love.”

Boot donations

Boot donations can be made at each stop of the tour, as well as at selected Kia dealerships in certain markets.

Last season, Kia collected an incredible 1,052 pairs of boots. However, there are still around 2,000 children without football boots at Zaatari refugee camp
This year, Kia aims to double the number of boots donated to Zaatari refugee camp to meet this demand
Every fan who donates a pair of boots will be in with a chance of winning an all-expenses-paid trip to the UEFA Europa League final, including flights, accommodation and organised activities.

My football boots were my gateway to freedom. These opportunities and freedoms, which I often had to fight hard for yet were possible in our society, are what I want to pass on to girls.

- Tugba Tekkal, a young refugee who grew up in Germany

REFUGEES ESPORTS CUP: THE FIRST ESPORTS TOURNAMENT IN REFUGEE CAMPS

Refugees eSports Cup: the first eSports tournament in refugee camps

From 26 January to 1 February, Libraries Without Borders and the UEFA Foundation for Children will hold the first eSport tournament in the Syrian refugee camp of Zaatari in Jordan. This action is supported by Facebook, PlayStation and ArmaTeam.

A refugee spends on average 18 years of her or his life in a camp. Eighteen years without being able to catch up on the news, read or learn well. For that reason, Libraries Without Borders and the UEFA Foundation for Children are working tirelessly so that the women, men and children from the camp of Zaatari can connect with the world again, overcome boredom, find the assets to foster their resilience and think about their future. By promoting access to sport, education, information and culture, we are committed to giving everyone the capacity to be autonomous, free and to achieve fulfilment.

The camp is located east of Mafraq and has today 60 000 Syrians who fled from the civil war. Libraries Without Borders set up an Ideas Box there three years ago - a mobile media library, in kit form, designed by Philippe Starck. The UEFA Foundation for Children, meanwhile, has been offering for the past five years various sport activities through its house of sport, football pitches and coach education.

For the first time, Libraries Without Borders and the UEFA Foundation for Children will organize the “Refugees eSports Cup” tournament with the support of Facebook, PlayStation and ArmaTeam in the camp of Zaatari. From 26 January to 1 February, this event will gather 200 teenagers from 10 to 18 - including people with disabilities - who have been training since December ; the final will be held on 31 January and February 1. At the core of this project : social cohesion and entertainment.

VIDEO GAMES, VECTOR OF SOCIAL COHESION
In libraries and museums, video games have also their place. Way ahead of literature, movie and music industry, video games are nowadays the most consumed cultural good in the world.

Provide access to video games in refugee camps, why?
Libraries Without Borders and the UEFA Foundation for Children wish to make a positive use of this cultural good for all. To this end, it was meaningful to us to hold this very first eSport tournament in Jordan : video games are a cultural product that refugees should have access to, just like any other. For the time of a match, they will then be able to escape from their daily lives and their hard living conditions.

Video games are first and foremost human. Whether they challenge each other, regardless their stories, the players create a social link, exchange and share with respect. Interactive and inclusive, it brings them entertainment and allows them to escape, tell and create stories. Imagination and creativity are boosted. The player is able to dive into other universes - as a novel or a comic can do - by making her or him the main character of her or his own story. It is a chance to meet each other, to learn the different issues and rules of living together. Finally, with the video games, failure - in all its forms - does not exist: it even constitutes the core of learning. And defeat encourages them to carry on and move forward.

About Librairies Without Borders

Since 2007, Libraries Without Borders has been working tirelessly to bring knowledge to those who are deprived of it - from refugee camps in Bangladesh to rural areas in France - and to make the right to culture a fundamental human right. In thirteen years, the association has reached more than six million people in fifty countries.

Project Partners

Interactive photographic exhibition

Give children a voice ...

The Foundation is established since April 2015. It underlines the will of UEFA, its founder, to use the power of football to improve the lives of disadvantaged children around the world. Photography was chosen to explain about the reasons for our commitment and the means put in place to achieve our mission: to defend the rights of the most vulnerable children by supporting NGO projects in the fields of health, disability, social inclusion of minorities, education and personal development up to employability.

The objectives of the exhibition are the following:

showing the foundation’s activities and arouse curiosity;
raising awareness of the environment of disfavoured children;
promoting the rights of the child and those of minorities (especially girls and children with disabilities through football);
campaigning for the improvement of the living conditions and social integration of disadvantaged children and to open a reflection on children’s situations in the world.

Ten projects are highlighted in this exhibition and giving the voice to educators and beneficiaries. Four of his projects are also presented in digital and interactive format.

You can discover the digital exhibition here. It is a zip file you need to 1)to download; 2) to unzip; 3) to go in the build folder and launch the photo expo app.

Download the app.

Overview of the projects

Blind Solidarity – This project was created after a trip to Mali by photographer Catherine Cabrol. On discovering the difficult living conditions of the blind youngsters, she was photographing, she decided to help them with Libre Vue association and provided them with a pitch and equipment so they could play blind football.

Sport knows no handicap – PluSport is an umbrella organisation for disabled sport in Switzerland. Its Goal Plus project harnesses the passion for football to give all disabled children – including those who use a wheelchair – an opportunity to play the game.

Autism and New Technologies – The UEFA Foundation for Children awarded FIRAH, the International Foundation of Applied Disability Research, a grant to improve communication for autistic children through its Autism and New Technologies project. L’Oiseau Blanc, a school that integrates autistic children, invited us in to see how technology can improve the children’s day-to-day lives.

Teaching inclusive football - This coach education programme run by the Scort Foundation and Football Club Social Alliance empowers young women and men to become proactive community leaders. In Ukraine, the coaches are working with young children affected by the conflict.

We Welcome Young Refugees - Since 2015, Royal Europa 90 Kraainem FC has been running an initiative to integrate young asylum seekers, entitled We Welcome Young Refugees. The project has already reached out to more than 1,500 unaccompanied minors.

Heroes on the field – The Cruyff Foundation provides underprivileged communities all over the world with safe playgrounds where children can grow up being active, improving their physical and mental development. The Heroes of the Cruyff Courts programme trains young coaches so that they can be role models in their neighbourhoods.

From sport to employment – Sport dans la Ville is a French organisation that uses sport to foster social inclusion. Its Job dans la Ville programme supports job creation and helps to integrate these youngsters into society, ensuring fairer life opportunities for all.

Peace and reconciliation through sport – The National Children’s Football Alliance has been organising the Global Peace Games since 2014 to celebrate peace through football. This peace education week, attended by thousands of young people from different backgrounds, aims to develop interpersonal and intercultural skills in the context of current conflicts.

Go girls! – This PSG Foundation project allows young girls living in deprived neighbourhoods to discover and enjoy sports and cultural activities. They are then encouraged to pursue an activity by joining a sports club.

Access to sport at any price – Red Deporte y Cooperación uses the power of sport to promote intercultural integration, focusing on leadership, gender equality, HIV prevention, hygiene and basic health education, and alcohol and drug prevention. This programme is run in Cañada Real, on the outskirts of Madrid.

All images were taken by artist photographer Catherine Cabrol

Heros on the field, project run by Cruyff Foundation

Autism and New Technologies, project run by FIRAH

Peace through sport, project run by National Children's Football Alliance

Go Girls! , project run by PSG Foundation We Welcome young refugees, project run by Royal Europa 90 Kraainem FC

42 new UEFA Foundation for Children projects

The foundation is expanding its activities in support of vulnerable children around the world

On Wednesday 20 November, the UEFA Foundation for Children’s board of trustees, chaired by the UEFA president, Aleksander Čeferin, met at the House of European Football in Nyon.

One of top items on the agenda was the approval of new projects to be supported by the foundation. The portfolio of projects supported by the UEFA Foundation for Children has grown steadily since it was established in 2015.

On the basis of both the foundation’s basic mandate and overarching strategy and the demands and realities of the world around us, the foundation reinforce its actions in promoting employment through sport, support victims of conflict, and support general development programmes through access to sport, in particular football, in the areas of health, education, personal development and the integration of minorities.

The board of trustees decided at their November meeting how to allocate the foundation’s 2019/20 budget of €4,764,608, with a view to strengthening the foundation’s capacity to act across the globe.

Bearing in mind that half of the foundation’s budget is earmarked for projects in Europe and the other half for projects in other continents, the board allocated the 2019/20 budget to:

42 new projects;
foundation projects associated with UEFA EURO 2020;
five new pitch constructions, in partnership with Lay’s.

The following 42 new projects will benefit from financial support from the foundation:

Partners	Project name	Continent/country
		EUROPE
Asociata Luncsoara Bihorului	Sportfield for children and youngsters	Romania
Associacao de Futebol de Bragança	Street football move	Portugal
Bel endroit pour une rencontre	Raconte moi un match	France
Edwin van der Sar Foundation	Child and parent day	Netherlands
European Football for Development Network	Welcome through football	UK, Ukraine, Cyprus, Germany, Portugal, Netherland
FC Barcelona Foundation	Sport based employability for unaccompanied minors	Southern Spain, Greece (Athens, Lesbos), Italy (Sicily)
Fondation arménienne pour le développement durable	Génération Sport	Armenia
Fundacion Real Madrid	Real Madrid foundation social sports schools in Europe	UK, Portugal, Bulgaria, Romania
Hawar help e.V	Scoring girls	Germany
INEX	Football for development in Czech Republic	Czech Republic
Katamon Moadon Ohadim	Neighborhood League HKJFC	Israel
Kicken ohne grenzen	Kicken ohne grenzen	Austria
Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine	Health Goals Liverpool	UK
Mentor Management-Entwicklung-Organisation GmbH & Co	Goals for future	Austria
National Paralympic committee of Kazakhstan	Blind football pitch construction	Kazakhstan
Newcastle United Foundation	Active Lives	UK
Save the Children	Score for education	Albania
Streetfootballworld	Play Proud	Europe mainly + worldwide
The Scottish Football Partnership Trust	GoFitba project	Scotland
World at Play	Sport and Play for social integration of refugee children within local communities	Bulgaria
Klitschko Foundation	Success Package	Ukraine
		AFRICA
CCPA	Open fun football school - playing for peace	South Sudan
Busajo Onlus	Sport as education and promotion of equal opportunities for street girls in Sodo	Ethiopia
Inter Futura srl	African Black'n Blue: kids resiliencydevelopment through education and football	Angola, Cameroon, Congo, Uganda
Street Child	Excercising change in Palabek refugee settlement	Uganda
Georges Malaika Foundation	Future leaders of Kalebuka	Democratic Republique of Congo (DRC)
Power for the People	Remba Island education health and nutrition project	Kenya
Samusocial International	Carton rouge à l'exclusion	Burkina Faso
International organisation for migration	Sport for inclusion: football against racism	Tunisia and Maghreb
International Trade Centre	Kick for trade	Guinea, Gambia
		ASIA
Jesuit Refugee Service Iraq	A safe space for displaced Yazidi youth	Iraq
Blue Dragon Children's Foundation	New Futures through sport	Vietnam
Spirit of Soccer	Mine risk education in Cambodia	Cambodia
CIELO - Cooperation Internationale pour les équilibres locaux	Le jeu en vaut la chandelle	Sri Lanka
The Arsenal Foundation	Coaching for life	India
AFDP Global	Kick for hope	Jordan
		OCEANIA
Just Play	Just Play Programme	Cook Island, Fiji, French Polynesia, New Caledonia, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Island, Tonga, Vanuatu, New Zealand, American Samoa, Kiribati, Samoa, Tuvalu
		AMERICA
Starfinder foundation	Senior leaders	USA
Women Win	La Nuestra Football Club	Argentina
Plan International Belgique	A goal for gender equality	Bolivia
Fabretto children's foundation	Play to learn 2	Nicaragua
Fundacion del Empresariado Chihuahuense A.C	Afterschool program for underserved communities in Chihuahua border state	Mexico

Once again, the number and range of project proposals received by the UEFA Foundation –to foster education, development, inclusion and empowerment – proves how much football inspires and offers hope. The foundation is proud to support these associations and to see how much the beautiful game brings us together, carries us, saves us sometimes and, above all, unites us, ever expanding our horizons.

- Nathalie Iannetta, Board of trustee member

Klitschko foundation GATE_AF_CHERNIGIV_05701

Just Play Festival, Nuku'alofa, Tonga, Saturday 29th August 2015. Photo: Shane Wenzlick / www.phototek.nz

JET8 Foundation and UEFA Foundation for Children launch football Social Commerce App aimed to make a difference in children’s lives

JET8 Foundation and UEFA Foundation for Children launch football Social Commerce App aimed to make a difference in children’s lives.

14 August 2019, Singapore, The JET8 Foundation and UEFA Foundation for Children is proud to announce the launch of the new UEFA Foundation4Kids social commerce App.

The UEFA Foundation4Kids App incorporates JET8’s Fintech technology to reward users for in-app engagement through JETPoints, social currency users can use to make contributions to the UEFA Foundation for Children. Users of the App receive access to exclusive UEFA Foundation for Children geo-stickers and geo-frames.

The UEFA Foundation for Children believes in the power of football to change the lives of young people. Through sport, particularly football, the foundation helps children by providing support in the areas of health, education, access to sport, personal development, integration and defending the rights of the child.

The JET8 Foundation aims to enable crucial organisations like the UEFA Foundation for Children to succeed digitally. The use of JET8 social technology allows the UEFA Foundation4Kids App to build a digital community, a community that engages and creates memorable moments.

CEO of UEFA Foundation Urs Kluser said:

We are very pleased to collaborate with JET8 as their platform will enable the UEFA Foundation for Children to spread its message, inspire people, and get them to engage across the world. JET8’s technology means making a positive difference in the lives of children is now easy, accessible and fun!

Besides offering communities like the UEFA Foundation4Kids their own Social Commerce platform, JET8 has developed world-class user privacy technology to protect users’ personal data.

JET8’s User Data Exchange Programme facilitates the transaction between a user and third parties whereby a user can opt-in if they want anyone to purchase their personal data directly from them.

Mike Allen, Co-Founder of JET8 said, “The game of football is powerful! It helps kids dream and gives them hope to succeed in life. We are excited to work with the UEFA Foundation for Kids. Through JET8’s technology, we provide a platform for people to engage and spread the great work the foundation is doing world-wide. The App will help the foundation build a new community of influencers and supporters, who will be able to donate to the cause.

Download the UEFA Foundation4Kids App from the Google Play Store and the iOS App Store here: https://uefa4kids.jet8.app, and help children around the world, one sticker at a time!

ABOUT THE JET8 FOUNDATION

With a focus on research and development, the JET8 Foundation is a non-profit technology company that supports the global adoption of decentralised engagement networks together with mobile engagement platform, JET8.

The social media apps available on the JET8 network support authentic and organic peer-to-peer communities, that connect people around their passion points and reward them for their creativity and engagement.

JET8 innovates social engagement technology to enhance accessibility to ensure that anyone, anywhere, can interact and earn from their social influence on a global stage.

The JET8 Foundation was founded in 2018 and is based in Singapore.

For more information, visit http://den.foundation/.

UEFA Foundation for Children and the Turkish Football Federation team up to help refugees in Turkey

“Live Together” project for social cohesion between locals and displaced children

Today, behind the scenes of the at the UEFA Super Cup final in Istanbul, the UEFA Foundation for Children and the Turkish Football Federation announced their collaboration on the “live together” project in Turkey. The Memorandum of Understanding was signed by the respective presidents Aleksander Ceferin and Nihat Özdemir.

The Live Together project aims to improve the living conditions of refugees, migrants and host communities. It will facilitate social cohesion by encouraging Turkish children and Syrian child refugees to interact while playing together in safe spaces such as schools, communities centres and clubs. Through sport – and football in particular – those children will learn how to live together. This project seeks to contribute to peaceful coexistence between children and young people from different origins living in Turkey.

The UEFA Foundation for Children and the Turkish Football Federation hope to stimulate joy and unity and prevent the occurrence of violence. Football with other recreational and support activities play an important role in helping children and youth respond to the post trauma challenges posed by their displacement, and the impact of conflicts on their lives.

Quote from Nihat Özdemir

TFF is very glad to enter in this project with the Foundation and to contribute to helping children and youth to respond to numerous challenges. Football is a great unifier and can help children to learn to live together and improve their lives. TFF Looking forward to the mutual cooperation and will do its best for the success of the project.

Quote from Aleksander Ceferin

When a child plays football, he gets lost in the game. Football enables them to be children and dream big. We are pleased to partner with the Turksih Football Federation to use football as a tool to unite cultures and establish mutual understanding and respect.

Project partner

http://www.tff.org

Amputee kids stand for equality at Super Cup final

Any dream can become true if you truly believe

Since it was established in 2015, the UEFA Foundation for Children has become a key presence at the UEFA Super Cup, demonstrating that football, and sport in general, has a positive impact on children and can change the outlook of even the most vulnerable.

This year in Istanbul, at the opening ceremony, a mixed choir of amputee kids from the Turkish Sports Federation for the Physically Disabled and the singers of the Turkish Radio and Television’s polyphonic children’s choir, will perform Bob Marley’s ‘Three Little Birds’.

The support of the players of Liverpool and Chelsea will highlight that football leaves no one aside, a strong message of integration, solidarity and hope. The youngsters will have the chance to meet players from both teams and kick a few balls around.

UEFA’s president and the chairman of the UEFA Foundation for Children, Aleksander Čeferin, will also promote this message during the cup ceremony, where he will be accompanied by Ali Turganbekov, a young Kazak boy with no legs, who has a passion for football and dreams of becoming a Paralympic champion.

“The children from the choir and Ali Turganbekov demonstrate that strong beliefs in their dreams can help them overcome many obstacles,” said Aleksander Čeferin. “We pay respect to all disabled children in football or other sports, who give their best and lead an active lifestyle. We hope they will motivate many others to follow their example. Moments like this can make all the difference.”

Mr Arif Ümit Uztürk , the president of the Turkish Sports Federation for the Physically Disabled added:

“We are very happy that the UEFA Super Cup Final will be held in our country and to see our amputee football players take part in this event. On 14 August, we will experience one of the best examples of the unifying power of football. We welcome the teams, spectators and all guests for the UEFA Super Cup Final."

Kick for Trade – UEFA Foundation for Children and ITC team up for youth social inclusion

Kick for Trade - UEFA Foundation for Children and ITC team up for youth social inclusion

New pilot initiative harnesses football to boost youth employment and inclusive development

Today, at the 53rd Joint Advisory Group session of the International Trade Centre (ITC), the UEFA Foundation for Children and ITC announced their joint involvement in ‘football for development’ programmes in Guinea and The Gambia. The letter of intent was signed by UEFA Foundation for Children secretary general Urs Kluser and International Trade Centre executive director Arancha González.

Globally, over 59 million young people are unemployed and nearly 136 million are working yet living in poverty. Youth access to decent employment opportunities and their potential for creating their own enterprises are often hindered by external factors, such as a skills mismatch or a lack of access to financing. These barriers prevent them from utilising their skills, having their voices heard, and actively shaping an environment of decent work and successful trade.

Sport, and football in particular, is increasingly recognised as an effective tool for community development and addressing social issues. Football for development programmes provide people from different backgrounds with the skills and resources to actively make a difference in their own lives and in their community. By addressing the most pressing issues in each community, the programmes contribute to positive social change.

With youth employability at the forefront of their strategic agendas, the ITC and the UEFA Foundation will this year focus on football for development and youth empowerment activities. The Kick for Trade initiatives in this letter of intent will offer innovative, result-oriented approaches to shape youth entrepreneurship and employment through sport, and particularly football.

Announcing the new partnership ITC Executive Director Arancha González said: “Through Kick for Trade, ITC and the UEFA Foundation aim ensure that youth are part of the game and are resources to be taken seriously. In Guinea and the Gambia, we will demonstrate that it is possible to have fun while learning new skills, and that vocational training, entrepreneurship and football can be a winning formula.’

UEFA Foundation for Children’s secretary general, Urs Kluser said: “Football for development programmes comprise messages and methodologies that reinforce social and economic inclusiveness for youth in many countries. This partnership will allow both the UEFA Foundation and the ITC to keep the ball rolling for the benefit of young people.”

The initial focus of this partnership will be on country-based approaches that take local dynamics and networks into account and that scale up activities together with local incubators, youth associations and youth centres.

Through Kick for Trade, ITC and the UEFA Foundation aim ensure that youth are part of the game and are resources to be taken seriously. In Guinea and the Gambia, we will demonstrate that it is possible to have fun while learning new skills, and that vocational training, entrepreneurship and football can be a winning formula.

- Arancha González, ITC Executive Director

International Trade Centre (ITC)

Project partner

About ITC - The International Trade Centre is the joint agency of the World Trade Organization and the United Nations. ITC assists small and medium-sized enterprises in developing and transition economies to become more competitive in global markets, thereby contributing to sustainable economic development within the frameworks of the Aid-for-Trade agenda and the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.

Call for projects 2019

On 1 July the UEFA Foundation for Children launched its 2019 call for projects that seek to promote children’s fundamental rights across the globe.

This call for projects is aimed at any organisation that shares the values of the UEFA foundation and proposes practical measures to help children, in the areas of access to sport, health, education, employment, personal development and supporting vulnerable children.
Applications are invited from organisations anywhere in the world. Support is not limited to projects within Europe.

Eligibility criteria

The UEFA Foundation for Children will examine and evaluate each project.

The final decision on the selection of projects will be taken by the board of trustees in accordance with the foundation’s statutes and ethics code.
Specific conditions relating to funding are provided in the project criteria.

To submit your project, click on this link. The application deadline is 31 July 2019.

Candidates will be notified of the progress of their application by the end of 2019.

Another Season of Dreams

Another season of dreams come true for children

The UEFA Foundation for Children is proud to have been able to make children's dreams come true again for yet another year

This past year provided more opportunities for making children’s wishes come true. Every year the UEFA Foundation for Children strives to help children who have suffered accidents or illnesses to fulfil their dreams of attending a match and meeting their favourite players.

Since its establishment in 2015, the foundation has been working hand in hand with Etoile Filante/Sternschnuppe in Switzerland and Association Rêves in France to make dreams happen. For many children with ailments or handicaps, even just attending a match can be very challenging. We enable them to attend with their carers in an adapted environment. Add to that the opportunity to meet their favourite players or team, and it really is a dream come true!

Here is an overview of the wonderful opportunities these children were able to experience in 2018/19.

UEFA Europa League

Joel, aged 10, met Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang from FC Arsenal.

Gabriel, aged 12, met David Luiz from Chelsea FC.

UEFA Champion’s League

Mohamed, aged 11, met Mohamed Salah from FC Liverpool.

Ciaran, aged 11, met Lewandowski, Boateng and Hummels from FC Bayern.

Noah, aged 11, met Robert Lewandowski from FC Bayern.

Alan, aged 7, was able to see Juventus play, met some players, and received a shirt and signed ball.

Luca, aged 17, and Erjan aged 14 got to meet and have their shirts signed by the players of Real Madrid and Ajax.

Mylann, aged 10, met Paul Pogba from Manchester United.

Mohames, aged 9, met Messi from FC Barcelona.

Yanis, aged 7, met all FC Barcelona players.

Seven children aged between 14 and 17 from the Association Air Pur et Soleil in France travelled to Madrid to attend the Champion’s League final, as did a group of youngsters from the Sport dans la Ville association.

UEFA Nation’s League final

Achraf (17), Hugo (8) and Thomas (12) met Cristiano Ronaldo from Juventus.

Benoît aged 15, Djamel aged 9 and Younes aged 11 got to meet Cristiano Ronaldo from Juventus.

Winners of 2019 UEFA Foundation for Children Awards announced

Awards go to 22 European organisations supporting disadvantaged children

On 29 May 2019, the Board of Trustees of the UEFA Foundation for Children met in Baku – under the stewardship of its chairman, Aleksander Čeferin.

During the session, the board members selected the 2019 UEFA Foundation for Children award winners. Since 2015, this price is rewarding the great work of charity foundations or associations safeguarding the rights of vulnerable children. For the third time, it was decided to involve the 55 UEFA member associations to nominate charity organisations from their own country in accordance with the following criteria:

All award recipients must be based in the country of a UEFA member association.
Potential recipients must accept and comply with the foundation charter and ethics code.
Potential recipients must have been registered with the relevant national authorities for at least three years and comply with national legal obligations.
The activities carried out by recipients must be aimed at helping vulnerable, deprived or socially excluded children, and must never involve the promotion of talented young footballers.
UEFA member associations whose nominated charity received funding as part of the 2018 Foundation for Children Awards will not be given priority in 2019.

Award presentation video.

A total of 26 national associations submitted nominations, four of which had already received support from the foundation in 2018. The Board of Trustees decided to divide the total amount of funding available – €1m – equally between the remaining nominees, with the 22 organisations below each receiving a €45’500 grant:

National association	Recipient organisation
Bosnia and Herzegovina Football Federation	Foundation for development and improvement of sports and recreational activities
Bulgarian Football Union	Football Club Tang RA
Croatian Football Federation	The Ivan Štark centre for education and rehabilitation
Danish Football Association	DIF get2sport
German Football Association	LitCam
Royal Spanish Football Federation	Red Deporte y Cooperacíon
Football Association of Ireland	The Down Syndrome Centre
Football Association of the Czech Republic	Safety Line
Football Federation of Ukraine	Football Development in Ukraine
Hellenic Football Federation	Mazi gia to Paidi
Hungarian Football Federation	Janos Farkas
Irish Football Association	Tackling Awareness of Mental Health Issuses
Italian Football Association	Special Olympics Italia
Football Federation of Kosovo	The Ideas Partnership
Malta Football Association	St Joseph Home
Football Association of Moldova	Dinamo Plus
Football Association of Serbia	KMF Mungosi
Swiss Football Association	Pro Juventus
Swedish Football Association	Heart United
English Football Association	Colour Blind Awareness CIC
Football Union of Russia	Unity
Football Association of Wales	Cardiff City FC Community

After the selection, Urs Kluser, the foundation’s general secretary said: “We are very pleased to use the UEFA Foundation for Children awards to support great European charity organisations put forward by our member associations. We have awarded grants to 22 organisations that help vulnerable children live a better life. A total of €3 million has been granted over the last three years.”

2019 call for projects

The UEFA Foundation for Children will launch a new call for projects on July 1st, 2019 for a period of 1 month. Applicants from all over the world have the possibility to submit their projects on our official website, where all the necessary information and the selection criteria will be published. The board of trustees will decide on projects and announce its decisions at their next meeting in November.

We are very pleased to use the UEFA Foundation for Children awards to support great European charity organisations put forward by our member associations. We have awarded grants to 22 organisations that help vulnerable children live a better life. A total of €3 million has been granted over the last three years.

- Urs Kluser, General Secretary of the Foundation

Football in More - Liechtenstein - team photo

Football Is More - Liechtenstein

Amp Futbol Polska - Poland

UEFA Foundation for Children board meet in Baku

The board of trustees pursues continuity

The UEFA Foundation for Children board meeting took place today in Baku, at the invitation of the Association of Football Federations of Azerbaijan, ahead of the UEFA Europa League final.

After the first four-year term of office since the board of trustees was elected, in Vienna on 23 March 2015, this session included elections in accordance with Article 8 of the foundation’s charter.

All board members had expressed their wish to be re-elected for a new four-year term. Aleksander Čeferin was re-elected chairman of the UEFA Foundation for Children.

The members of board of trustees are:

Aleksander Čeferin UEFA President and UEFA Foundation for Children Chairman

Kairat Boranbayev President, KazakhstanNational Paralympic Committee

Peter Gilliéron Chairman, UEFA Fair Play and CSR committee

Greg Clarke Chairman, English Football Association

Norman Darmanin Demajo President, Malta Football Association

Nathalie Iannetta TV journalist and partner at Agence 2017

Wladimir Klitschko Former boxer and founder of the Klitschko Foundation

Kevin Lamour Deputy General Secretary, UEFA

Margarita Louis-Dreyfus President and founder, Louis Dreyfus Foundation

Elkhan Mammadov General Secretary, Association of Football Federations of Azerbaijan

Fiona May Italian Olympic Committee and former British-Italian athlete

Snežana Samardžić-Marković Council of Europe Directorate General of Democracy

Aleksander Čeferin declared, “I am very pleased that the board members are committed to sharing their time, expertise and enthusiasm for a new term of office. We will continue to focus our efforts on using football to improve the lives of children and help disadvantaged communities by giving them the opportunity to play football, develop life skills, become actors in their lives, and break the poverty spiral.”

During the meeting, the members expressed their willingness to focus on post-conflict issues in Europe and increase the support for young migrants and unaccompanied children. The idea is to extend and replicate the knowledge and experience gained over the years in the Zaatari and Azraq refugee camps in Jordan. Various projects are now being considered in Greece and Turkey.

A second focus will be employability projects for young migrants and vulnerable youngsters in Europe. The under-25 unemployment rate in the European Union is 15%, and much higher for young people living in poverty or school dropouts. Sport can be used as a method to teach and improve knowledge and skills, including teamwork, perseverance, responsibility and vocational and organisational skills. The foundation is already working with various partners on these projects.

The foundation will launch a new one-month call for projects on 1 July 2019. Applicants can submit projects on the foundation’s official website, where they will find all the necessary information and selection criteria. The board of trustees will announce its decisions at its next meeting in November.

Finally, the Association of Football Federations of Azerbaijan, generously donated €75’000 in support to the projects of the UEFA Foundation for Children.

BAKU, AZERBAIJAN - MAY 29: UEFA Foundation for Children Board meeting on May 29, 2019 in Baku, Azerbaijan. (Photo by Harold Cunningham - UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images)

A Shared Passion

Local children will take centre stage in the opening ceremony

The UEFA Foundation for Children has invited 30 teenage boys and girls from the Oltalom Sport Association (OSA) to participate in the UEFA Women’s Champions League final opening ceremony as central circle carriers.

OSA has been using sport as a tool to improve self-esteem and promote a healthy lifestyle to people from disadvantaged backgrounds in the Budapest region since 2005. Central to their mission is the understanding that playing football with teams from other social groups enhances social integration.

OSA organises regular football training sessions and provides free equipment to homeless people, refugees and disadvantaged youngsters, as well as offering English lessons to boost employability and organise football roadshows, gathering youngsters from different communities to increase their social integration.

On the day before the final, the youngsters will also have the chance to meet players from Lyon and Barcelona to exchange about their passion of football.

“Being able to participate in the UEFA Women’s Champion League Final gives a chance to our players to meet people they share a passion with and further motivate them to follow the path they set up to reach their dreams inside or outside of the football pitch” said Dóra Gottgeisl, project coordinator at Oltalom Sport Association.

“We applaud our long-term partner Oltalom Sport Association who took up the challenge of participating in the UEFA Women’s Champions League final in Budapest. It is a great opportunity for their youngsters and we hope this incredible experience will inspire them to follow their dreams” added Urs Kluser, general secretary of the UEFA Foundation for Children.

About Oltalom Sport Association

Project Partner

For more information, visit their official website.official website.

UEFA Foundation for Children supporting projects in four sub-Saharan African countries