A community football club 

The Head of Mission and founder, the Rev Jim Smith says, “I have worked in Ghana for 30 years, and in the valley where I work there are many young people with little to do outside of school. I wanted to do something for them, but I was not quite sure what to do Then I attended a football day with the Tariq Lamptey foundation. They are committed to using football to teach discipline and help young people feel better about themselves. When they feel better about themselves, then they can begin to think about their future in a much more positive way.”

So, the Mission has decided to embark on a project  to lay an AstroTurf pitch, with lighting and to launch a football league in the valley. This will be very popular in the valley where there is no other sporting facility for the young people. 

By running a league on an AstroTurf pitch both day and night, we can give many young people an opportunity to play a team game, to learn discipline and to begin to realise they have something to offer for the future of Ghana. 

Jim continues, “I also saw that such a project, being community based, would give hope to the wider community who, like me want better for their young people.”

Football is a good tool for helping young people and has a very good track record through the many clubs we have in the UK both professional and amateur at every level. It is hoped and anticipated that football people will appreciate this vision and will help us as best as they can to make it a reality for these young people. 

It’s a big project for a small mission. However with a high level of commitment from those in our work, we believe that in a few years this project will be a reality, making a big impact on many young people, their families and the wider community. 

The Beloved Football Academy begins to take shape 

Two families have already given us money in memory of their loved ones to build this facility for young people. Jim says, “As I prepared and prayed I wondered if there may be others who would like to join the families of Audrey and Charles.”

Raising this stadium will be a lasting legacy to these two people and is open to others to be added to that roll. 

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This is the email to write to if you want to make a donation – donate.servingafricamission@gmail.com

You can donate directly to our CAF account by clicking here.