Kuala Lumpur, Apr 9, 2018: The spirit of the AFC Women’s Asian Cup reached women and girls in the Za’atari refugee camp in Jordan yesterday as the competition is being hosted in West Asia for the first time (Jordan inspires refugee girls).
Refugee girls and boys in Za’atari were invited to take part in fun football and awareness-raising activities, celebrating everyone’s right to play and enjoy football. Noor Al Hussein Foundation hosted and supported the organisation of the event, together with the Jordan Football Association (JFA).
AFC Executive Committee Member and Chairperson of the AFC Women’s Football Committee Moya Dodd joined in the fun and shared lessons of teamwork, effort and respect, using football analogies.
“Football teaches us to be a little bit better every day, and to help other players do the same, she said.
“If you respect your coaches and opposition, and learn as much as you can in every moment, when the chance comes you will be ready to score. It’s the same in life, too.
“Organising the AFC Women’s Asian Cup in Jordan is a historical occasion, and AFC is proud to bring part of this celebration to the residents of Za’atari.”
Za’atari refugee camp is close to the Syrian border, dealing with the everyday challenges of camp life as well as the human trauma of those escaping conflict. The camp is a leader in recycling and solar power as well as providing safety, solace and a new life for its residents.
The AFC’s social responsibility initiatives during the AFC Women’s Asian Cup in Jordan raise awareness of women and girls’ empowerment through football. This is one of the key pillars of the AFC Dream Asia Foundation.
Matchday two of the AFC Women’s Asian Cup Jordan 2018 in both Group A and B matches on April 9 and 10 is dedicated to the Empowering Women Through Football campaign.
The message will be visible at Amman International Stadium and King Abdullah II Stadium in campaign banners in the pre-match ceremony and in videos on the giant screen.
In addition to the Za’atari camp visit, the AFC teamed up with the Noor Al Hussein Foundation also on Saturday, inviting refugee children living in Amman’s urban areas to play football in a light-hearted training session led by three under-18 Jordan women’s national team players, Rama Awad, Anoud Ghazi and Rand Albostanjy, and JFA coaches.
The children taking part were of all ages, living in orphanages supported by the Noor Al Hussein Foundation and coming originally from Syria, Iraq and Yemen.
Moya Dodd opened the morning by addressing the children about the importance of respect and peaceful conflict resolution in life and in football. She said: “Even if you don’t get every free kick you deserve, it pays to keep playing by the rules.
Fighting never solves problems. If you give respect, then respect will come back to you.”
The football session was followed by lunch and refreshments and the children were given AFC Women’s Asian Cup T-shirts as souvenirs of the day. All the ultra-durable footballs used in the training sessions on both days were also donated to the children. —- AFC
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