MASERU — The Lesotho Football Centre for Hope, one of 20 projects set up in Africa by Fifa during the 2010 World Cup last year, will open its doors to the public in September, the Lesotho Times has learnt.
The M2 million centre, which will be used for Five-A-Side matches, is situated in Old Europa in Maseru. It has an artificial turf, floodlights and a fence.
“The construction of the Five Aside ground and offices was completed end of May and it will be officially launched on September 24 this year,” Refiloe Maphallela who manages the centre said.
“We have to delay the launch because we can’t hold this kind of big celebration now because it is cold and raining most of the time.”
Fifa and Street Football World, a private company, are building 20 projects to develop grassroots football in Africa. Five of these are being built in South Africa.
The centre is housed at the Kick4Life offices in Old Europa.
Kick4Life is a UK registered charity which uses football as a tool for promoting health education and awareness in the developing world.
“Everyone stands to benefit from this centre but we are especially targeting the youth, orphans and vulnerable children,” Maphallela said.
“The communities around the centre are also allowed to come and use the ground for free.”
He added: “Football-based activities are used as an incentive and a tool to provide engaging learning environments for young people.
“The centre also addresses health challenges by offering a range of services including health awareness, HIV voluntary counselling and testing programmes as well as referral system to nearby health facilities,” Maphallela said.
“The football pitch will however offer a common ground for engaging in a wide range of social and human development activities,” he said.
