Barnes on board for Score Ethiopia

Liverpool legend John Barnes has launched Score Ethiopia, a charitable campaign aimed at providing football-based amenities into Ethiopia.


The 44-year-old former England winger is working on a humanitarian mission to improve football facilities in Africa.

"The campaign aims to help promote football in the poorest countries and build better facilities, as well as getting water to the communities and giving local people training and start-up loans to get better jobs."

Barnes travelled to Lalibela, a historic town in the north of Ethiopia to launch a fundraising campaign for a new football stadium, complete with goal posts, corner flags, kits, clean water facilities and a seating arena.

Lalibela is desperately poor with many people surviving on just £1 a week.

Currently, the town's children play football with balls made from rolled-up clothes and their makeshift pitches are dust fields.

Jamaican-born Barnes added: "I travelled to Lalibela to understand what football means to these children. I have been all over Africa and Ethiopia is my favourite country because the people are so friendly.

"We all associate it with famine but I want to show that there is so much more going on here.

"If we can help to raise £25k it will mean so much. You can't give kids a football pitch when they can't afford to eat but this project will help enrich their daily lives too.

"I have always known how powerful a weapon football can be to get people involved. Sadly not many modern footballers recognise that. Football gives people in countries like Ethiopia hope, enjoyment and respite from their daily lives.

"When you see kids with nothing kicking a football around, you recognise how incredible that is. It also helps to build communities because it is a team sport."