As part of its humanitarian program, the Somali Football Federation donated 120 beds and football equipment to the country’s main children’s rehabilitation centre through the Somali correction troops who runs the centre.

The centre holds hundreds of children and teenagers including some from
poorer families, children whose parents died in Somalia conflicts and
street boys.

CECAFA vice president and the president of Somali Football Federation [SFF], Abdiqani Said Arab accompanied by his senior vice president, Ali Abdi Mohamed handed over the donation to the Somali deputy Prime Minister Mohamed Omar Arte and the chief of Somalia’s correction troops [former FIFA referee] Major General Bashir Mohamed Jama.

“We visited the centre several weeks ago and we learned that these
children didn’t enough beds and mattresses, so we decided to provide them with beds and football equipment so that they can life in a different
life” Somali FA president, Abadiqani Said Arab told the media while presenting the equipment to the government officials over the weekend.

“This is part of our humanitarian program and we will continue helping our people as much as we can. Our country experienced lawlessness and
humanitarian problems which affected so many people in the country and
that is why the SFF decided to  establish its own humanitarian program last year” the president noted during his address at the donation presentation ceremony on Sunday.

The president announced that his federation will construct a new football
pitch at the rehabilitation centre and will send coaches to educate these children under the SFF’s grassroots program.

The chief of Somali correction troops [former FIFA referee] Major General
Bashir Mohamed Jama, lauded for the SFF’s donation and the offer to build
a football facility at the rehabilitation centre.

On his side, the deputy Prime Minister, Mohamed Omar Arte, commended the
Somali Football Federation for its contribution to both the youth
rehabilitation centre and football development across the country.

He urged other organizations and business communities to follow Somali
Football Federation’s footsteps, adding that a joint cooperation will help
the country recover from decades of setbacks caused by the long-running
civil wars and lawlessness.

Collins Okinyo

Ex- CAF Media Expert. An expert on African football with over 15 years experience ,always with an ear to the ground with indepth knowledge of the game. I have worked for top publications including 7 years at www.supersport.com until i founded www.soka25east.com to quench the thirst of football lovers across the continent. I have trained young upcoming journalists who are now a voice in African football.I have covered World Cup,AFCON,CHAN,Champions League,Confederations Cup,Cecafa,Cosafa,Wafu and many other football tournaments across the World. Founder Football Africa Arena(FAA),Founder www.afrisportdigital.com