Athletic Club is helping child refugees from the Ukraine War
Athletic Club is helping child refugees from the Ukraine War
Through the Fundazioa, Athletic is committed to a series of social, cultural and sporting initiatives aimed at children arriving in Bizkaia
Athletic Club, through its Foundation and with the help of the Sports Department and the Child Protection Department (Aterpe Programme), has set up a programme for refugee minors who have arrived in Bizkaia in recent weeks as a result of the war in Ukraine.
In conjunction with their schooling process, the Athletic Club Foundation has established a series of initiatives designed to ensure they can take part in a range of recreational activities.
The AC Foundation has set up sporting and cultural activities for this group, including an excursion to Ereaga beach, attending matches at San Mamés (the first was against Elche) and visits to the Athletic Club Museum, as well as free inclusion in the Lezama Easter Football Camp. The Club will also help the children join various sports teams (football, basketball, volleyball, karate) and cultural programmes.
Athletic Club, at the request of the ECA (European Club Association), will host several footballers at its Lezama residence. The first step has been taken by Danylo, a Dnipro-1 youngster, who will train with players of his age. The player remains linked to his home club in all respects. The ECA’s aim is to ensure that these young players do not see their football training cut short because of the conflict.
The ultimate goal is to help all these children in their day-to-day lives by using sport and culture as tools to improve their living conditions, psycho-emotional state and integration process. For the development of this programme, the Athletic Club Foundation has involved third party entities such as affliate football clubs, the Bilbao Basket Foundation, the Bilbao Choir and Metro Bilbao.
For years, the Athletic Club Foundation has been working with minors in a situation of vulnerability throughout Bizkaia via the numerous programmes it has in place in the territory and believes it has an obligation to make itself available to these institutions in cases of social emergency, such as the one we are dealing with.