The Office of the Vice President has confirmed that His Excellency Johm Dramani Mahama would present the winning team of the maiden edition of Street Soccer Africa with a glittering giant trophy. Vice President Mahama accepted the special invitation upon learning that the under 12 community to community project, would feature girls in every team to encourage early participation by the girl child in sports.
In partnership with the Ghana Football Association (GFA), Population Council, Global Campaign for Education and the Ghana Education Service, the finals are set to be the most highly anticipated inter-community soccer event of it's kind in Ghana. Featuring 128 teams from October 2009, phase 1 of Street Soccer Africa, kicked off in the coastal community of James Town in Accra and mazed through a total of 16 communities until the final road event in Tema Community 1 on Saturday 27 June 2009.
The project navigator Jerry Avernogbor says his outfit Oxigen are confident that after months of exciting and sometimes breathtaking raw soccer, the final would be something special. "The numbers are quite revealing because we featured 8 teams in every community over 16 separate events, stretching over 10 months and featuring a total of 128 teams," he said. Although staging the events proved a major logistical challenge, organisers and local community supporters were privileged to witness a total of over 1,920 talented children in action. "It is now time for the finals where these fine but raw talents are given the opportunity to play on fine green grass for the very first time".
It would be intriguing to see how the players some as young as 10 years and who have never played with football boots would fare on grass. Also of interest to social scientists and commentators would be the way 16 communities stretching from main land Madina to coastal James Town would blend and interact. Indeed one of the target pillars of Street Soccer Africa is to completely break down "class" barriers and community stereo types that may ferment social discord and tensions.
According to Rita Agyen of Oxigen "children must not be drawn into the politics of social classes but rather express themselves freely and confidently. The finals are supposed to be a special day's treat and experience for the children". This premise explains why the champion of champions finals has been moved away from the stony, rough and dusty pitches of Teshie, Fadama, Bukom, Nima and so on. The finals would also be used as a platform to educate children on personal and environmental cleanliness. Sponsors of the event are Zoomlion, Voltic Mineral Water, Nestle Ghana Ltd, Westec Security, National Service Scheme and MTN. For more information visit: www.streetsoccerafrica.com
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