EMPOWER KIDS THROUGH FOOTBALL - How £5 can change a life.

2 years ago I swapped the UK for Colombia. Since the start of my journey, I’ve been a Volunteer Football Coach with kids in one of the most dangerous neighbourhoods in Colombia. Please take 2 minutes to read to see how £5 can really change these amazing kid’s lives. (See bottom for direct debit details).

Pazifistas is a football foundation based in Comuna 13, Medellin, Colombia, which used to be one of the most dangerous neighbourhoods in South America. Pazifistas has played a key role in the positive transformation of this neighbourhood, using football as a vehicle to inspire, educate and support at-risk young people in the local community.

Comuna 13 is the neighbourhood with the most displaced people in the whole of Colombia with many people fleeing violence in the countryside or neighbouring Venezuela to settle here. 63% of displaced Colombians live below the poverty line. 33% live in extreme poverty.

Pazifistas helps to keep at-risk young people away from the everyday dangers that exist in this poverty-stricken community, these include gangs, abuse, prostitution, drugs and alcohol.

I’ve been a Volunteer Football Coach for nearly 3 years and have seen lots of these kids grow into fine young men and women thanks to Pazifistas and the football programme.

We have approximately 150 boys and girls training with us every week.

However, I’ve also seen many leave the football pitch and go on a different path.

Covid Impact on Football

Covid-19 continues to have a crucial impact on this community, with many of the families in the community not being able to find new employment, or still working in the informal economy such as selling penny-sweets on the streets to passers by.

If they make enough money to put food on the table, it often means it’s not enough for the children to pay the monthly fees to play football.

The monthly fee for 1 child is just £5.

Football is so powerful to help empower this community, and to see great kids who absolutely love football and that I know personally not able to play is heartbreaking.

£5- Monthly fee for 1 child.

£7.50- Monthly fee for a pair of siblings.

£25- Monthly fee for 5 kids.

£60- Football for 1 year for 1 child.

Where will the money go?

At this stage, we have various priorities of how we would spend the money if we are able to gather more funding.

Participation - our number 1 priority is to give the most vulnerable young people the opportunity to play, learn and grow on the football pitch every week.

Equipment- ensuring we have enough of the correct and safe equipment for the kids to play like football boots, footballs, correct kit so that the kids return each week (including clothes and boots donations in the UK that we want to send here).

Competition - allowing our kids to compete with other football teams and improve (including many Venezuelans who do not have papers to compete in more official leagues).

Further Activities- Once we are able to establish the above on a regular and long-term basis, we'll be looking to put funds towards other activities such as English classes, music lessons and other sports.

Contact me to find out more:

Some people want to set up a Direct Debit/Monthly Donation, so please reach out to me on Whatsapp if you’d like to do so.

There are GoFundMe Fees, so if you want to send to me personally contact me on Whatsapp.

Whatsapp: +57 three zero five three two one, five zero two zero

The money will be sent from GoFundMe into my personal UK Bank Account, and I will organise to be able to withdraw it and make sure it goes into the foundation. I will receive receipts from the foundation for the donations made which I can share if anyone would like.

Many thanks for all of your support,

Damon