I am Michael Hargreaves, a professional coach from Manchester. I have ten years’ coaching across the Northwest and America, from grassroots to elite youth level players and teams. I hold the UEFA B Licence and am progressing towards UEFA A Licence. I am currently completing the Advanced Youth Award which is the highest youth coaching qualification in the UK. I have spent the last 5 seasons at a Premier League Club’s academy and am currently with another professional club. I aim to have a positive impact on every player so that they all develop a love of the game and a hard working attitude into all areas of their life.

I have been invited to Accra, Ghana by the founder of Ghana Football Project, Lee Kellett, to help with the Future Leaders Underprivileged Children’s Centre. On 31st May 2018 I will be travelling to Ghana for 2 weeks, where I will work with the coaches in their education of how to development sportsmen and women and the development of children in all areas of their life. I will be helping put in place long term football programmes that will build on the work already done with the children, as well as helping out at the school during the day with the children’s education.

Ghana Football Project:

Ghana Football Project was established in January 2011 by 2 UEFA-qualified football coaches from Preston, Lancashire. The project aims to spread awareness of and combat the issue of illegal academies that cause human trafficking. Such academies lure players abroad under the promise of a trial with a professional club - a trial that never exists. Talented youngsters are then stranded with little hope of a future.

Ghana Football Project aims to help safe, legal academies one at a time to gather all the necessary support in order to generate a sustainable income and become self-sufficient. The project works to improve the standard of youth football in Ghana and to combat the issue of illegal academes and corrupt agencies, by providing and assisting in the provision of education, training and equipment necessary for progress within the sport. We also aim to raise awareness of the issue of illegal academies and the destruction that they can cause.

Ghana Football Project Page

Future Leaders Under Privileged Centre:

Billa Mahmud, founder of Future Leaders UCC in Ghana, was a visionary man who felt passionately about changing the lives of children for the better. Born and raised in a small town just outside of Accra, he knew poverty and its effects first hand. Recognising the need for change, he started teaching children basic Maths and English underneath a mango tree. Billa understood how to engage children and inspire them to learn and change their own destiny. The project grew over the next 18 years to what it is today: a school of 196 children with many more in higher education. He also set up football teams for different age groups to encourage positive behaviour and team work and recognised the need to help families in setting up small businesses. His good will, generosity and ambition to make a difference spread far and wide and touched so many people's lives in his short time on Earth. Shortly before he died, Billa saw the beginnings of his dream come true in the form of a permanent school structure. This school has made a difference to hundreds of children’s lives and will be a lasting legacy of his work.

Billa Mahmud was a family man and an advocate for education providing over 190 children with free schooling through his centre. To be a part of one of his largely sought-after soccer teams, 100% attendance in school is a must. Billa dedicated his time and money to give children and teens the opportunity to develop into a professional players while reinforcing the importance of an education. With the financial and coaching support of GFP, Billa was able motivate and develop players into role models for the community. In 2016 one of the graduates Bernard Tekpetey was called up to the Ghana national team.

Please help us to continue Billa's legacy by donating whatever you can.

Future Leaders UCC Page

Future Leaders Football Academy Page

Donations:

To hire replacement staff and assist in the yearly costs of running a successful soccer program, your donations will help pay for:

£700 for teams’ yearly registration fees

£500 for a full set of team kits

£400 for teams yearly referee fees

£400 for the coaches’ monthly wages including hiring new staff

£300 for food and water pre and post games

£300 for yearly field maintenance

£200 for 24 footballs

£180 for a team’s yearly transport to games

£70 for a players housing

£40 for 100 training cones

£30 for a pair of football boots

£20 for football bibs

£10 for a football

Ghana Football Project is a registered charity in Ghana. Future Leaders UCC is a registered charity in Ghana and the UK. All donations from this page will be withdrawn by Michael Hargreaves and allocated to the UCC in Ghana. Michael Hargreaves will not be taking any payment himself from these donations.

@MHargreavesMike

@GhanaFootballP