The Spanish first division LaLiga and Real Betis have joined forces with Daraya Sports in a bid to continue to give back to underprivileged communities and help develop more talents here in Nigeria.
This much Football411 can reveal after the inauguration of the Safe Haven Football Academy at Lejina, Ikorodu, Lagos state on Sunday.
The event themed ‘A Passion Called Betis’ was put together by Daraya Sports in conjunction with the Safe Haven For Children Charity Organisation with support from the grassroots loving LaLiga via one of its clubs, Real Betis.
This partnership is geared towards providing the necessary facilities needed to promote grassroots sports in disadvantaged communities in Nigeria and to also help vulnerable kids and the less privileged have access to quality football education
Speaking at the event, convener and head of Daraya Sports, Segun Adeniyi says the need to expose the less privileged to better training facilities led to the birth of the project.
“We want to plug that gap ( the lack of access to quality education),” he said. “I have worked with some big academies in Nigeria (Barcelona), Scotland (Dundee) and the UK and I have come to realise that the children who have access to such trainings were from higher profile backgrounds – those with deep pockets who can pay and get their kids to some of the best academies possible. This is where we step in, to help and be technical partners to train coaches and the kids.”
Speaking on behalf of LaLiga and Real Betis, the Delegate for Global Network in Ghana and Nigeria, Desmond Chiji reiterated the League’s desire to continue to give back to communities by developing more kids.
“Being here with the kids, trying to develop their talents and give back to the society are things we value so much,” Chiji said.
“So, this gives us great joy. We continue to improve and give back to the communities, we want to spread the community language – everywhere we go, we want to speak that language and that’s why we are here.
LaLiga is not just about football but development, team work, dedication, commitment, and transparency.”
Nigerian football legend and LaLiga ambassador, Mutiu Adepoju, was also present at the event and reiterated Chiji’s assertion.
“LaLiga is passionate about humanity and developing kids and that’s why we are part of this,” he told Football411.
Both Chiji and Adepoju advised the kids to be disciplined and dedicated in their bid to learn and become future stars, while Rev Dele George, leader of the Safe Haven For Children Organisation, thanked Daraya Sports and LaLiga for giving hope to their kids.
The academy is expected to train up to 100 disadvantaged kids around Lejina community in Ikorodu, with several training equipments for the project including Balls, Bibs, Jerseys, etc already made available by LaLiga and Real Betis.
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