Earlier in the month, SOS Children's Village in Bangui, Central African Republic, played host to probably its most famous guest. To the delight of children and staff, FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter and a delegation of FIFA's most important members, managed to find time in between its hectic tour of FIFA's GOAL development programme projects in the region to visit the country's SOS Children's Village.
During his second day in the Republic and accompanied by other representatives from FIFA and the Football Association of Central African Republic, Blatter arrived bright and early at SOS Children's Village in Bangui where he was warmly greeted by children, families and staff as well as people from the neighbouring community. When two SOS children presented Blatter with a bouquet of flowers, he could hardly contain his delight at such an enthusiastic welcome.
SOS Children's Villages National Director Gadenga gave a short speech about the organisation, its mission and its work in the Central African Republic. Gadenga also highlighted the long-standing cooperation between the children?s welfare organisation and FIFA, notably the financial support received for the construction of a football pitch at SOS Children's Village Bangui.
Blatter praised the SOS mothers and the village director for their extraordinary achievements. He also spoke of the successful partnership between FIFA and SOS Children's Villages on an international level and hoped that this would continue on a national level, to benefit many more children within the Central African Republic.
The party then proceeded to visit some of the SOS families, as well as the FIFA-financed football pitch where Blatter also met the local teams that play there. The FIFA President also presented the Village with twenty one footballs and handed a personal note to the Village Director containing a cheque for 5,100 USD.
The visit was rounded off by Blatter's signature in the Village's gold book and the presentation, by the village, of a portrait of Blatter with the FIFA and SOS cooperation logo.