Airtel Ghana has donated footballs to Bebeto Football Academy, a second division football club in Sogakope as part of the company’s fulfilment of its promise made to the academy through Airtel Touching Lives television programme.
The donation is the latest in support of the Bebeto Football Academy after previous interventions that included football kits – training bibs & kits, jerseys, shin guards and goal nets to set the Academy up for success in their division.
Martin ‘Bebeto’ Torku recognizing the potential and passion of the young lads in his community to play football and his own person commitment to make an impact in the lives of young people in spite of difficulties and the lack of resources, initiated the Bebeto Football Academy a few years ago. His great work with the young people in his community was recognized by the award-winning Airtel Touching Lives programme to benefit from training kits and a refresher course at the Ghanaman Soccer Centre of Excellence in Prampram.
Making the presentation, Richard Ahiagble, Head of Corporate Communications at Airtel Ghana remarked, “We are inspired by the commitment and passion that Martin brings to his work – identifying and grooming young football talents in his community and setting them up to achieve their dreams of becoming professional footballers. At Airtel we firmly believe that everyone has the power of potential – the innate ability to fully realise their potential giving the platform and the support. Martin’s story was one that resonated with the ethos of the Touching Lives Programme and we are happy to be part of his initiative to empower the young men in his academy to become the next generation of football greats for the country”.
He continued,” Football is the passion of the nation and as a company we have invested in the sports through our grassroots talent search programme – Airtel Rising Stars to unearth and develop young and talented footballers from across the country. Many of these players have found their way into the various junior national football teams. We will continue to invest in sports and initiatives that empower young people”.
In his response, Martin Bebeto Torku, manager and coach of the tam expressed his gratitude to Airtel Ghana noting “we are very grateful to Airtel for supporting us. There will be no football games without the football kits and footballs. We are very pleased to receive these items. The opportunity to undergo a coaching training course to develop and sharpen my coaching skills will go a long way to impact positively on the Academy. On behalf of everyone at the Bebeto Football Academy, accept our deepest gratitude for your support”.
Airtel Ghana has over the years committed to augmenting government and the Ghana Football Association’s efforts to develop the game of football in the country with the introduction of Airtel Rising Stars, a credible under-17 football competition that gives males and females in school the opportunity to exhibit their talents to be groomed and drafted into the junior national teams. The competition has produced many of the players who have represented Ghana at various FIFA organized age competitions.
