Former SLFA President Commissions Football Training Center For Female Inmates

The Former Sierra Leone Football Association (SLFA) President, Isha Johansen has on Friday 2nd June  commission a football training Center for female inmate at the Women’s  correctional Centre in Freetown.

The commissioning of the football for reform training and skills centre was done by the former president and her team, a centre that was constructed with support from “ Fashion for Change” and FIFA Secretary General, Fatma Samoura. Fashion For Chang  is an initiative using Football as a tool to promote social  Change and Positive rehabilitation.

The centre will be equipped with sewing machines, some specifically for intricate embroidery respectively.

During the unveiling ceremony, Madam Johansen reveals that she is the driving force behind  this but nothing  works alone. She thanked the Fashion for change  group for their tremendous support. She pointed out that the rationale behind  setting up skills centre is about reforming the inmates using football .

Madam Johansen states “I want to thank the officers , I want to thank the correctional Centre. This is a correctional  Centre. It has it rules and regulations . The women who stays here are offenders and it is not for us to say they are  right or wrong. These are women and men who should not be in society at least for now but never has there been a time when Col. Ngaujah, Madam Suzan  and every other officers here restricted us”

Leone Stars legendary former Captain, Umaru Zaingalay Bangura, was a special guest of the event. Earlier on Friday, he led a FIFA and CAF delegation, including FIFA Council Member Madam Isha Johansen, to the Male Correctional Centre at Pa Demba Road in Freetown. Umaru delivered an inspiring message to the inmates and afterwards shared a footballing moment with them on the pitch.

Umaru Bangura was also present at the official launch and handing over ceremony of the Football For Reform training and skills centre at the Female Correctional Centre, Special Court Building in Freetown. His presence boosted the morale and confidence of the female inmates.

It is also recorded that, the said facility will be used as a classroom that will help in equipping some female inmates on the arts of coaching and refereeing with a lower level D-Licence and all these will be coordinated by the Sierra Leone Football Association for effectiveness.

The Confederation of African Football  [CAF] will provide  licensed coaches  and referees courses to the correctional Centre as football  contributions  to  empowering young  women through football.