Waris lauds Fifi Foundation

Ghana international Abdul Majeed Waris has commended fellow footballer, Fifi Baiden for using his NGO, the Fifi Foundation to positively affect the lives of orphans and the less privileged in society.

Waris made the commendation last Friday after visiting the foundation based at Ayenya in the Shai Osudoku District of the Greater Accra Region.

“Fifi has done a great job to come out with something like this to help the children. 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,” said Waris who is currently in the country on holidays.

“I’m happy that he remembers where he came from and is still thinking about finding ways to help these children to grow to become productive and responsible adults,” he added.

Waris and the founder of the Foundation, Fifi Baiden- a former player of Major League Soccer Columbus Crew-grew up on the pristine pitches at the Right to Dream Academy in the Eastern Region, benefitting from a similar development programme which sees children given scholarships to combine their schooling and sports to realise their dreams in life.

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

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.

The NGO currently houses about 30 children aged six to 12 years who were selected from soccer academy players who were scouted by the Foundation’s Ghana coaching staff in trials.

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 live at home with their parents.

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.