Thursday 21 March 2019, 10:17

FIFA Foundation returns to help Fuego volcano victims

  • Visit sought to assess what has already been done and what still needs to be done

  • Work on the construction of new sporting facilities under way

  • Jorge Campos: “I’ll always remember being able to give them a little happiness”

On 18 March, the FIFA Foundation and FIFA’s Normalisation Committee returned to Guatemala to bring yet more aid to the victims of the Fuego volcano tragedy and to monitor the progress that has already been made in supporting them.

Comprising Kjetil P. Siem, General Secretary of the FIFA Foundation; FIFA Legend and former Mexico international Jorge Campos and the Foundation’s project managers Jasmin Frei and Sêgbe Pritchett, the delegation paid a visit to the ATU Santa Isabel shelter. A football match was one of the activities the group took part in, with Campos’ appearance on the pitch bringing a huge smile to the faces of the children.

“I’m delighted to see the youngsters so happy playing and enjoying their football,” said the Mexican star following the visit. “Just being able to give a little bit of happiness to these children, who have suffered with their families, is something I’ll always remember. We should try to do things like this all over the world.”

FIFA Foundation visits Guatemala

In the company of FIFA’s Guatemala Normalisation Committee, the group then made a visit to the town of Alotenango, in the province of Sacatepequez, where sports facilities and football pitches are planning to bebuilt. The objective here is to fulfil the FIFA Foundation’s mission and social responsibility goals to recover damaged football infrastructure and to bring some happiness to the children and youngsters who have suffered so much as a result of the natural disaster, which took place on 3 June 2018.

“It was wonderful to be back here with all the youngsters from the affected areas,” said Juan Carlos Rios, chair of the FIFA Normalisation Committee. “We know that much needs to be done to ensure the development of the children impacted by this natural disaster and that they can take their place back in society. It is for this reason that the Guatemalan Football Association (FEDEFUT) is working with the FIFA Foundation to help out the victims.”

The visit allowed the FIFA Foundation to make a further assessment of the various ways in which it can continue helping the victims of one of the worst catastrophes in Guatemala’s recent history.

“The wider FIFA family is made up of all its member federations,” added Siem, before underlining their commitment to the victims. “That is why the FIFA Foundation has, from the very start, sought to help out all the Guatemalan families and children afflicted by this very sad tragedy.”