Champions For Children believes in sports as a vehicle for cultivating humanity and education through self-discovery and cooperative interaction. In conjunction with the Catholic University of Sacro Cuore of Milan, the Foundation has developed a new project, the Champions Playground, based on an educational model that involves sports, education and psychology.

The aim of this project is to provide younger population groups from vulnerable areas with opportunities to develop their own abilities through sports education and creative activities. The model will consist of a multifunctional sports complex where the children, accompanied by teachers, educators and trainers, will have a chance to cultivate their potential.

The Champions Playground’s methodology is very flexible and can be adapted to specific local circumstances with the assistance of local Institutions and used in different countries all over the world.

The first Champions Playground will be launched in 2010 in Manenberg, a suburban area near Cape Town. The educational model was further enhanced by a development work done by the University of the Western Cape, South Africa, being specialists in areas afflicted by various social and economic challenges.

• Seedorf becomes first footballer to join “Tck Tck Tck Time for Climate Justice Campaign”
• Joins list of over 80 musicians, academics, politicians and celebrities to support Kofi Annan’s campaign for a binding deal in Copenhagen
• News comes as campaign anthem receives almost 200,000 views on YouTube

AC Milan midfielder Clarence Seedorf has today become the first footballer to become a Climate Ally and sign up to the “Tck Tck Tck Time for Climate Justice”campaign. He joins former UN Secretary-General and President of the Global Humanitarian Forum, Kofi Annan, in his campaign for a fair, robust and binding agreement at the climate talks in Copenhagen in December.

Seedorf joins the rapidly growing campaign for climate justice just after the release of its new campaign song “Beds are Burning”, that has received almost 200,000 views since its launch on October the 1st.

Clarence Seedorf said:
“Football is one of the most powerful games in the world, a powerful tool to unite people from different backgrounds and to break down barriers created by ignorance and prejudice. Together we have to make a difference in protecting our planet for future generations”.

He added:
“It is the people least able to protect themselves and the most vulnerable that bear the brunt of climate change. We have to make a difference and I am proud to become a climate ally by joining the campaign for climate justice. tck tck tck.”

For more information please email:
campaign@timeforclimatejustice.org

On Wednesday 2nd of July, Clarence went to the opening of the Neonatal Ward at the Academisch Ziekenhuis (Hospital), in the Surinamese capital, Paramaribo. 
 
Champions for Children has donated the funds for new respiratory machines. Until now, the hospital had relied entirely on the 100 per cent oxygen flow technique, which is an imprecise and often dangerous method of care, which meant that the survival rate among prematurely born babies needing respiratory assistance was as low as 15 percent.
 
Clarence attended the opening with Suriname’s Minister of Public Health, Celsius Waterberg, before unveiling a plaque naming the ward after his grandfather, Freddy Seedorf.
 
Below is an extract from Clarence’s speech to those attending the opening:
 
A little over a year ago, a man, a doctor by the name of Dr. Amadu Juliana, came to my foundation with a dream. It was, and is, a dream that was simple to make come true…it would have been equally simple to crush it, by simply ignoring it.
 
But we have worked together to make it happen. The facts are clear – until today only 15 per cent of premature babies born in the hospital survived. Funds for the technology to prevent this were needed to provide sufficient and correct oxygen flow…in other words to guarantee life itself for newborns struggling with underdeveloped respiratory systems
 
That was last April. Now, here we are and the dream has become a reality. With this equipment and the know-how being made available to the hospital, survival rates will change dramatically. This ward will raise the survival rate to 80 per cent.
 
It may be my foundation that is behind this, but it is thanks to the caring doctors and policy makers, that the future for our little champions is getting brighter each day
 
I am proud that the ward has been named after my grandfather, Freddy Seedorf, because this was his dream too: a present and a future that promised every day to be a better day, that every day should be more full of hope, and where, together, we prove what we are able to make come true.
 
One of the doctors told me he hoped lot of little soccer players would be helped into life with the new machines. I told him that I hope a lot of little doctors would be too!

14th Juanuary 2008.  The construction of the new Maurice Otunga school, in Nairobi is now complete. From January 2008 school activities recommenced  and the 250 students can continue their classes in the new building.  

During the starting meeting the chief of the school said:  “the beauty of this building serves to remind us of our desire for beauty of the beauty within us all”. He also gave thanks to the donors and asked everybody to keep the “dream of beauty and justice alive especially in this difficult time for our country”.

Milan 29th November 2007 – The 4th edition of the Stella D’Oro Award has taken place in Milan, at the location “Palazzo delle Stelline”.

The meaning of the award is to give, every year, a recognition to those people who have distinguished themselves for a charity initiative, in favour of children who live in straitened circumstances.

This year the Award has been handed over to Clarence Seedorf, for his social commitment with the Champions for Children Foundation.

The charity event has seen the participation of different Associations, including Champions for Children, which promoted their initiatives.

The night ended with a charity reception and dinner for 500 guests during which various  prizes (offered by important Companies), have been auctioned.

Clarence donated a signednumber 10 jersey as one of the auction prizes