Ghana Striker Majeed Waris Commends Fifi Foundation For Changing Lives Of Orphans & The Less Privileged

Ghana striker Abdul Majeed Waris has commended the Fifi Soccer Foundation for changing the lives of orphans and the less privileged in society.

Two years after its establishment, the Fifi Soccer Foundation has moved into its rented facility at Ayenya in the Shai Osudoku District in the Greater Accra Region, but there are plans to relocate to their purchased land and facilities in Loum near Dodowa in a few years.

Fifi Baiden, a former player of Major League Soccer side Columbus Crew, set up the foundation having benefitted from a similar developmental program which sees kids given scholarships to combine their schooling and sports to realise their dreams in life at the Right to Dream Academy. Both Waris and Fifi came through the ranks at Right to Dream Academy.

Back in Ghana after winning his first major league title with Portuguese giants FC Porto last season, Majeed Waris said he is excited at the bold step taken by Fifi to give back to the society that helped raise him.

“Fifi has done a great job to come out with something like this to help the kids. It is something we are all doing but for him to take the bold step and create something very big like this is really good. I’m happy that he remembers where he came from and is still thinking about finding ways to help the kids,” Waris who is currently on holidays in Ghana told the media.

The vision of the foundation is to give hope and a better future to orphans and underprivileged children in Ghana by empowering them through education and sports.

Waris added, “Combining education and sports is the best way to educate the kids. If you look at what he (Fifi Baiden) is doing now, that is exactly how we started at the Right to Dream Academy by going to school and playing football. We all benefitted from this in the past. It is something that is going to help the whole Ghana to raise leaders. We have lots of players and professionals who have gone through the Right to Dream Academy and are helping the nation. All of us are willing to help him so it stands.”

The non-profit organisation is currently housing about 30 male and female children from age 6 to 12 years. Some of the children are selected boys soccer academy players who were scouted by the Foundation’s Ghana coaching staff in a tryout.

“Most often, kids develop at a very young age. The kids are going to learn a lot at the foundation at this young age. They will have a very good education and at the same time learn to play the sport that they like,” Waris summed up.

Ten of the children are selected orphans from Togo, Ayenya and surrounding towns who reside on site while the rest of the community children that they support to live at home with their parents.

A member of the traditional council of the Ayenya community and a son of the Chief of the area, Jonathan Ameyor said the community has benefited immensely from the foundation.

“Fifi Soccer Foundation has made a lot of impact on the community and children. The town is now developing because of the enthusiasm they have brought to this community through football. Most of the time when our school is going out to compete in the school's competition, we win because of the training the kids have received here, For a lot of the kids, their parents are very poor indeed. We will like the foundation to support the children to attend the Junior High Schools and Senior High Schools.

Meanwhile, a director of the Fifi Foundation David Dudor expressed his gratitude to all sponsors and donors for contributing to the development of the foundation. He said without them, it will be difficult to run the foundation. He appealed for more support and assistance for the foundation to be able to achieve its aim of providing a better future for the children.

“We are dedicated to providing our beneficiaries with the best opportunity to reach their potential and the ability to become role models in their community and their country. For that to happen, we need more donor support to aid this initiative.

Born in Ghana, Fifi has firsthand experience of the plight of poor children, having sold kerosine at age two to support his family.

“Growing up in Ghana was tough. My parents struggled to provide a roof over our head, three square meals on the table, let alone provide for our education. I sold Kerosine to support my family,” Fifi said.

At the age of ten, he was fortunate to receive a full scholarship to join the Right to Dream (RtD) academy in Ghana. RtD helped him to land a scholarship to further his high school and college education in the U.S at Dunn School and University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB) respectively. He then went on to play professional soccer for the Columbus Crew in Major League Soccer.

Fifi is being supported by a board including three other RtD graduates and Black Stars players David Accam and Mohammed Abu, and Emmanuel Boateng to achieve the aims and objectives of the Fifi foundation.