The Craig Bellamy Foundation is a charity that offers children in Sierra Leone the chance to achieve their potential through sport & education, delivered by our football academy and youth league.
The Craig Bellamy Foundation was created in 2008 to offer underprivileged children the chance to reach their true potential. The Foundation runs a non-profit professional football academy and a national youth league that uses football to tackle the country’s key development priorities – education, health, youth exclusion and gender inequality.
Our Academy nurtures the athletic, academic and personal development of the country's most promising sporting talent, securing them footballing and education placements overseas.
Five year scholarships are awarded to children aged 11 to 13 following an extensive annual nationwide scouting process.
In September, one student, Sahid Conteh, moved to California to begin four year scholarships at a US high school. Other players have been given the opportunity to train with some of the world’s leading football clubs - three students have trained with the Cardiff City academy, and in August 2012 two boys spent four weeks at the Liverpool FC Academy.
Our League’s unique model ensures that all players regularly attend school, respect principles of fair-play,and deliver health messages and social development projects that benefit other children and communities.
Involving over 2000 children - boys and girls - in 100 teams at the under-12 and under-14 age groups, the League covers the country's four regions – Freetown, Makeni, Bo and Kenema.
The League was shortlisted for a Beyond Sport Award 2012, in the Sport for Education category. Held annually, the awards recognise the use of sport as a tool for positive change across the world.
