{"id":378009,"date":"2017-11-27T12:01:46","date_gmt":"2017-11-27T12:01:46","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/citifmonline.com\/?p=378009"},"modified":"2017-11-27T12:01:46","modified_gmt":"2017-11-27T12:01:46","slug":"from-selling-kerosene-to-soccer-foundation-the-story-of-fifi-baiden","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/citifmonline.com\/2017\/11\/from-selling-kerosene-to-soccer-foundation-the-story-of-fifi-baiden\/","title":{"rendered":"From selling kerosene to soccer foundation: The story of Fifi Baiden"},"content":{"rendered":"
Former Columbus Crew player Fifi Baiden will see his dream of helping orphans and underprivileged children in society come true by organising a football gala tournament and a marathon for the Fifi Foundation at Ayenya, in the Eastern region on Friday, December 1st<\/sup>\u00a0and Saturday, 2nd<\/sup>\u00a0respectively.<\/p>\n The events are meant to bring the community together and also to raise awareness about Malaria and HIV\/AIDS.<\/p>\n The vision of the foundation is to give hope and better future to orphans and underprivileged children in Ghana by\u00a0empowering<\/em>\u00a0them with valuable tools through education and sports.<\/p>\n \u201cOur foundation gives hope for a better future to orphans and poor children of Ghana by providing a residential sports and educational program that is deeply rooted in the community,\u201d Fifi said.<\/p>\n Founded in June 2017, the Fifi Soccer Foundation is at the moment located in Ayenya but according to Fifi Baiden, who is the founder and CEO, there are future plans to relocate to \u201cour purchased land and facilities in Loum near Dodowa in a few years.<\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n The NGO is currently helping about 50 children between the ages of 6-12 of both boys and girls.<\/p>\n 20 of the children were selected boys soccer academy players who were scouted by the Foundations Ghana coaching staff in a tryout.<\/p>\n Ten of the children are selected orphans from Ayenya who reside on site whiles the rest of the community children that we support live at home with their parents. We also cater for the adults in the community through our adult education program.\u201d<\/p>\n Humble beginnings<\/strong><\/p>\n Born in Ajumako, in the Central region of Ghana, Baiden is one of four children in his family.<\/p>\n Just like many Ghanaian youngsters, he grew up loving football and honed his skills on the streets of Ajumako, with a dream of making the professional ranks later in life.<\/p>\n Opportunities were few and far between for Baiden, who had to help his parents to make ends meet from a very early age.<\/p>\n I SOLD KEROSENE<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cMy parents were poor and sometimes they were not able to pay for my school fees. I helped my parents to sell kerosene and other petty stuff to help them make it,\u201d he reflects.<\/p>\n \u201cI told myself that my parents wouldn\u2019t be able to take care of me so I needed to make it happen myself through any opportunity that came my way.\u201d<\/p>\n As fate would have it, he had his opportunity at the age of 10. His life took a dramatic turn when he won a scholarship to the Right to Dream Academy \u2013 famed for producing some of the best talents in the country through education, football and its unique character training.<\/p>\n