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UEFA Foundation: 55 children's projects approved

About UEFA UEFA Foundation

This Friday, the UEFA Foundation for Children celebrates World Children’s Day, using the magic of football to support the youngsters who need it most.

Fabretto

On Wednesday 18 November, the UEFA Foundation for Children’s board of trustees, chaired by the UEFA president, Aleksander Čeferin, met via videoconference to discuss new projects and the institution’s future.

The Foundation’s fifth anniversary is an opportunity to review its past activities and reflect on the future. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic and the new challenges it has brought with it, the UEFA Foundation for Children was able to rely on its partners’ commitment to help it safeguard children’s rights.

The most anticipated decision of this session was the allocation of the 2020/21 budget of €4,812,021 to new projects or an extension of existing projects. This is in line with its mission to protect children’s fundamental rights in health and protection, children with disabilities, education and personal development, access to sport, integration of minorities and protection for victims of conflicts.

Approximately half of the Foundation’s budget is earmarked for projects in Europe while the rest supports projects in other continents. In all, 55 projects are being supported along with three new pitch constructions in Europe in partnership with Lay’s.

Half of the Foundation budget goes to projects outside of Europe
Half of the Foundation budget goes to projects outside of Europe©NFF

Norman Darmanin Demajo, member of the board of trustees, said: "The Foundation views the pandemic as an opportunity to continue to use the beautiful game of football to assist so many organisations, in Europe and around the world, that focus on the needs of children and help them to keep their hopes and dreams alive.

"Thanks to the support we and our sponsors provide, children are helped to develop and reach their full potential, with dignity and in full protection of their rights."

Fifty-five NGO projects were selected for financial support from the UEFA Foundation for Children: 24 in Europe, 16 in Africa, 8 in the Americas, 6 in Asia and 1 in Oceania.

The UEFA Foundation's 55 projects

Europe

OrganisationProject nameNation
ActionAid HellasBeyond Goals 2Greece
Avuda en AcciónFairplay4lifeSpain
Barça FoundationFutbolNetGreece
Bellevue di MonacoIntercultural rooftop sports courtGermany
Syndrome of LoveFootball for Children with Down SyndromeRussia
European Football for Development Network (EFDN)EFDN STEM & Football Education ProgrammeBulgaria, Netherlands, Poland, Ukraine, United Kingdom
Fondation Arménienne Pour le Développement DurableGénération SportArmenia
Football Association of MoldovaLet's Play OutsideMoldova
Foundation Just for SmilesSmiles for ChildrenSwitzerland
Impala Performance ASBLMbo Mpenza ChallengeBelgium
Katamon Moadon OhadimHapoel Katamon’s Neighborhood LeagueIsrael
Kicken Ohne GrenzenFootball Without BordersAustria
Liverpool School Sport Partnership (LSSP) FoundationFinding My PotentialUnited Kingdom
Młodzieżowe Stowarzyszenie Inicjatyw Sportowych (MSIS)Football3 Empower GirlsPoland
Oltalom Sport AssociationNew Challenges, New OpportunitiesHungary
Orama Neon YouthoramaAdopt a Ball150 nations worldwide
Peres Center for Peace & InnovationSport in the Service of PeaceIsrael
Rio Ferdinand FoundationYouth in ActionNorthern Ireland
Sport Against Racism Ireland (SARI)Football versus DiscriminationRepublic of Ireland
Sport dans la VilleVocational centreFrance
Sportske Igre MladihYouth Sports Games 2021Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Serbia
Stichting het Gehandicapte KindBijzondere EredivisieNetherlands
streetfootballworld GmbHSafeguarding children certification programmeEurope
Ukraine Football Development Charitable FoundationCup of TrustUkraine

Africa

OrganisationProject nameNation
Aliguma FoundationSports for Resilience & Empowerment Uganda
Georges Malaika FoundationFuture Leaders of KalebukaDemocratic Republic of Congo
Grootbos Green Futures FoundationFootball Foundation: Sport for GoodSouth Africa
iACTRefugee-led sport and early Childhood Education ProgrammeChad
Kick4LifeGood Health & Climate Action through FootballLesotho
La balle aux prisonniersSport for reintegrationIvory Coast
Libre VueSolidarité AveugleMali
Light for the WorldWe are the ChampionsSouth Sudan
Médecins du MondeBophelo Ke Kgwele (The game, the Life)South Africa
Right to PlayGirls on TrackTanzania
Samusocial InternationalPromote social inclusion through sport for street children and youth in Pointe-NoireRepublic of Congo
Solidarité Marathon des SablesSport Centre in OuarzazateMorocco
Street ChildImproving the psycho-social well-being of conflict-affected displaced childrenMozambique
Triangle Génération HumanitaireStrengthen protection, socio-educational activities and social reintegration of vulnerable minorsCentral African Republic
Unis vers le SportLes gazelles de la TerangaSenegal
Water4wildlife Maasai MaraKick the ball, Save our wildlifeKenya

The Americas

OrganisationProject nameNation
Fabretto Children's Foundation Inc.Promoting sports to build resilience in rural NicaraguaNicaragua
Fight for PeaceUnity & PeaceJamaica
Fundación EmpateEmpate for ArgentinaArgentina
Global Outreach and Love of Soccer (GOALS)Team GoalsHaiti
Johan Cruyff FoundationA safe space to play for children in Cabreùva, BrazilBrazil
Mama AliceFootball, fun and friends campPeru
Rêves Passion MontrealSoccer Urbain pour le rêve et l'espoirCanada
Starfinder FoundationSenior LeadersUSA

Asia

OrganisationProject nameNation
Action for DevelopmentStreet children back to schoolAfghanistan
Asia Football Development ProgrammeKick for hopeJordan
Baan Dek FoundationFootball4goodThailand
Cross Cultures Project AssociationBringing Fun Football to Children in SyriaSyria
Fundlife International Inc.Football for Peace AcademyPhilippines
Indochina Starfish FoundationPlaying for EqualityCambodia

Oceania

OrganisationProject nameNation
Just PlayJust Play programmeAmerican Samoa, Cook Islands, Fiji, French Polynesia, Kiribati, New Caledonia, Papua New Guinea, New Zealand, Samoa, Solomon Island, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, India

For high-resolution images relating to this media release, please visit the Foundation’s newsroom.

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