Arsenal has committed to fund a £300,000 new project in Indonesia for Save the Children.
Arsenal, through The Arsenal Foundation, has committed to donate the money over three years to fund a project that will directly support 4,000 vulnerable young people by providing them with enhanced vocational education and employment skills.
To formally announce the new programme yesterday, eight youngsters, who will benefit from the project in Bandung, West Java, were invited to the capital, Jakarta, to join a special activity session with Arsenal manager, Arsène Wenger and young players Chuks Aneke and Chuba Akpom.
Speaking about the visit, Arsène Wenger said: "It’s always humbling to see the difference that Arsenal can make to young people’s lives and today has been no different.
“This project will have a massive impact and it’s been great to come to this incredible venue and meet some of the youngsters that are being supported by Save the Children’s work in Indonesia. Hopefully this will inspire them to go on and achieve even greater things!”
Save the Children’s Indonesia director, Ricardo Caivano said: “Arsenal’s support of our project in Bandung will make an incredible difference to the lives of thousands of young people, providing them with the skills and links to employers that they need to fulfil their potential.”
Many vulnerable young people in Indonesia face unemployment as they grow up and youth unemployment is estimated at 25%.
Save the Children’s project, funded by Arsenal, is developing the skills of young people and creating better links to private sector employers. It aims to improve job prospects and ensure a brighter future for young people in the West Java region of Indonesia.
As well as providing training on employability skills, the project will also help young people to improve their team work, confidence and leadership through various activities, including a football tournament.
In addition, the project will provide training to 150 teachers at colleges in Bandung so that they can use new skills and improved resources to support thousands more young people in the future.
Bandung is Indonesia’s third largest city with a population of 2.4 million, and almost 7.5 million in its wider metropolitan region.
Save the Children has been Arsenal’s global charity partner since July 2011.
Source: Save the Children UK
