By Foday Moriba Conteh
During an exclusive online interview with the Chief Executive Officer of “Catch Them Young”, Jennifer A. Thompson, geared towards her shedding light on Leone Stars’ AFCON Qualification, she started by saying among other things, that the country has qualified for the African Cup of Nation after 25 years for which she congratulated the team on their victory.
She stated that for a quite a while the country had been divided along party and regional lines but maintained that because of the victory that Leone Stars brought home, there was a huge sign of unity, pointing out that football gives us a great opportunity to be united as a society and to empower children through the values that it brings.
Jennifer noted that it is appropriate to reflect on the positive, constructive roles the game of football can play to enhance peace and development in the county, adding that the contribution of sports to peace building in troubled communities cannot be over emphasized at the community level averring that at the community level, sports has the unique power to attract, mobilize and create an atmosphere where people can come together and work together towards the same goal and show respect for one another, furthering that Sports can contribute to development, create jobs, support the economy and promote gender equality which she said all have been manifested when the country qualified for the African Cups of Nations.
In the light of the above, according to the CEO, sporting activities like football among others, can be used to help build peace in troubled communities maintaining that the football family in the country must stand together rather than officials fighting each other stating that y doing so will open far bigger opportunities for the football family and the country as a whole.
Jennifer Thompson applauded Sierra Leoneans for supporting the team and encouraging the footballers and the entire football stakeholders to maintain the peace, unity and energy in pushing the country for bigger opportunities.
She urged football stakeholders to invest in community leagues which will contribute towards the development of football in the country as that will create the opportunity to showcase the hidden talents in young footballers.
It could be recalled that out of her passion for football, Jennifer Adeshola Thompson adopted a female football team in a village within Bo District which she intends to develop alongside other Bo players by bringing them together to make indelible impacts.
Jennifer Adeshola Thompson, who has demonstrated true philanthropy, whose compassionate gestures have left lasting footprints in the realm of development, especially positively impacting the lives of young people in the country, believes that “unity within the football family in the country will enhance growth of the sporting discipline”.
She categorically stated that she will continue to support football in the country especially by creating female football teams stating that when one invests in youth, one is investing in their future and the country as a whole because the youth are the future leaders.
