Former Black Stars skipper has urged the nation to throw its weight for the “Tornado Ball”, an initiative of a collaboration between Alive and Kicking Ghana (A&K Ghana) and the Stephen Appiah Foundation (SAF).
The Tornado Ball is a football produced in Ghana by Alive and Kicking Ghana, which produces and sells for charity and it will be launched on Monday 15th December at the British High Commission by the Minister of Youth and Sports, Mahama Ayariga.
Appiah, who was speaking on Citi Sports’ midweek discussion show Half Time on Wednesday, said Ghanaians should back the work being done by Alive and Kicking Ghana and his own charity.
“I urge people to come and support the launch. Corporate bodies and all those who will be invited should join this good cause. Supporting us will enable us to support other people who are underprivileged.
Giving back to society is something I have always done because I have experienced those bad times before. When Alive and Kicking Ghana contacted me through my manager, I obliged to listen and when I went to see their factory (at Spintex), I saw some physically challenged also involved in the ball-making process and that really struck me. I then took a decision to join because I thought it was good.”
Alive and Kicking Ghana currently has 36 people including those with some physical challenges who produce the football entirely from materials that are found in Ghana and according to the Country Director, Chris Roe, there are plans to expand but a lot more can be achieved with support from Ghanaians.
“We will definitely want to add more to our staff but that relies on how well Ghanaians welcome the Tornado ball. We currently produce and sell 1300 balls a month and we sell through a number of retail channels.
UNICEF has placed a huge order for about 3500 balls and Milo has ordered about 2000 balls for their projects. If we keep getting these orders from corporates, we will be able to expand our activities and increase the workforce.”
The Tornado ball will go on sale from the 15th December in outlets such as GAME, Shoprite and Melcom and with each sale, a percentage will go support of the Stephen Appiah Foundation in their work in the area of health and education.
By: Nathan Quao/citifmonline.com/Ghana