Monrovia — First Touch Sports Academy, one of the premiers sporting academy in Liberia, has donated several assorted items to the Maternity Center at the John F. Kennedy Medical Hospital in celebration of its second anniversary.
The assorted items which in 20 branded bags with First Touch's crest, include baby diapers/pampers, baby wipes, towels, teddy bears, the team away kit and other items.
Making the presentation, the chief executive officer of the organization, Nusee Cooper said the gesture was intended to identify with babies born on September 7, at the Maternity Hospital in commemoration of the organisation's anniversary celebration.
According to Cooper, the organization intended to do things differently by helping kids grow to become meaningful personalities instead of just kicking football around.
Said Cooper, "It is just not all about playing football, I strongly believe that football is being played in the head. People think football is being played by the legs but most brilliant players are intelligent."
"So that's the reason why we are here today to donate our away jerseys. We have 20 pieces of them and it is for babies but it is not only to donate but to teach our kids what it means to love, what it means to give. We want to change the dimension of Liberian football."
He disclosed that the sporting academy was organized due to the huge challenges parents and guardians face in bringing their kids up in Liberia.
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He, however, called on stakeholders to invest in children programs which would prevent them from going on the streets and save fund on building more rehabilitation centers.
Said Cooper, "If we only target building rehabilitation then we will have more kids going there then we will build more rehabilitation centers.
"So we are using football as a tool to get kids off the streets. Every kid here knows our standards, why we stand for, so I am sure that we're going to guard them and base on our organisation standard we don't have to build rehabilitation center for them."
Adding, "So at a grassroot level, we tried to organize kids and I think every well-meaning Liberian can support the project and see how best we can help kids"
In response, a senior nurse of the Maternity Hospital, thanked the organization for identifying with the babies at the JKF Hospital.
She, however, cautioned, the children who are in First Touch Sports Academy to prioritize their education as well in order to make further meaningful impact in society.
