The Sierra Leone Football Association can officially confirm that one of the world’s most successful and internationally acclaimed football heroes, Cameroonian born Samuel Eto will arrive in Sierra Leone next week with a high powered FIFA team led by Fifa Chief Medical officer Professor Dvorak.

Sierra Leone has been nominated by FIFA to be the next country to benefit from its ” Fifa 11 for Health” initiative aimed at targeting young boys and girls as it seeks to inspire healthy lifestyles through football and education.

Samuel Eto will be the first high profile celebrity to visit Sierra Leone during the EBOLA crisis.

Known for his philanthropic and humanitarian nature, Eto together with his management team and Fifa will visit affected areas and try to reach out to as many young football lovers during his two day visit.

See the official SLFA Press Release below

 

October 23, 2015 – “11 for Health” brings Samuel Eto’o, FIFA Medical Chief to Sierra Leone

The Sierra Leone Football Association is proud to announce that one of the world’s most successful, internationally acclaimed football heroes, Samuel Eto’o will visit Sierra Leone this month to support FIFA health programmes with a FIFA team led by FIFA Chief Medical Officer Prof Jiří Dvořák.

The Cameroonian superstar will promote FIFA’s 11 for Health programme – an important FIFA campaign that seeks to inspire healthy lifestyles through football and education for girls and boys.

The “FIFA 11 for Health” programme embraces the power of football and scientific research to inspire a healthier world and better health among young people so that they can live life to the full. It provides guidance to help tackle the most frequent causes of diseases such as HIV/ AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, diabetes and obesity.

In addition, the FIFA delegation and Samuel Eto’o will be conducting site visits to communities affected by Ebola and to evaluate the effectiveness of the emergency campaign “11 against Ebola”. This campaign was put together last year by FIFA and the World Bank, using the strength of the voice of world famous players such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Didier Drogba and Neymar to inform the local population about important measures that could be taken in order to avoid contact with the Ebola virus.

Known for his philanthropic and humanitarian work, Eto’o will use his two-day visit in Sierra Leone to interact with the vulnerable communities, especially children affected by the Ebola epidemic while also using the opportunity to communicate health preservation messages in communities and schools.

Samuel Eto’o said: “I‘m the proof that football has the power to inspire a healthier world. Football is the pleasure of being together and a safe way to improve health.To stay fit you have to be disciplined and discipline is a great tool to educate young people about a healthier lifestyle.”

The visit will be concluded by a press conference attended by FIFA Chief Medical Officer Prof Jiří Dvořák , Samuel Eto’o, SLFA President Isha Johansen, Representatives from the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Sports, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Gender and Social Welfare, the EBOLA Response Committee, UNICEF and will take place on 1 November 2015 at the Radisson Blu Mammy Yoko Hotel, 17 Lumley Beach Road, Aberdeen, Freetown.

For further information and registration to the press conference, please contact Head of Media at [email protected], [email protected] or 00-232-76-389-323.