Football stars and legends turn out for Senegalese street children at Demba Ba charity night

Emdad Rahman

Chelsea stars put their west London open top bus tour and title party on hold to attend ex-team mate Demba Ba’s charity night to help raise £500,000 for street children. The glitzy event at the Marriott Hotel in Grosvenor Square, London, was hosted by the charity Human Appeal and was held in aid of the Empire of the Children project which supports homeless children in Dakar, the capital of Senegal. Present on the night were double PFA and Football Writers’ Association player of the year Eden Hazard, Branislav Ivanovic, John Terry, Samuel Et’o, Paul Canoville, Abou Diaby and Diomansy Kamara.

Every night, homeless children in Senegal sleep rough on the streets where they face constant danger and exploitation. Based in Senegal’s capital city, Dakar, the Empire of the Children is a former open air cinema. The building has been renovated and now takes in vulnerable young boys aged five to 16 years of age, offering them accommodation, educational and social support.

Speaking on stage during a keepy-uppy session with professional freestyler Colin Nell, Eden Hazard picked team mate Branislav Ivanovic as having been his toughest opponent – citing Belgium -v- Serbia at the King Baudouin Stadium in Brussels.

When pushed to look beyond a club team mate and prompted with the name Vincent Kompany, Hazard brought about wholesale laughter when he exclaimed: “Non! He’s easy!” After the laughter subsided Hazard did confirm that national team mate Kompany was one of his toughest opponents, even though his form has been below his usual high standards this season.

“I’m honoured to be invited here tonight,” said ex-footballer Paul Cannoville – Chelsea’s first ever black player, who won the second division championship with the Blues in 1983/84. “It’s a great charity and the cause is something which is close to my heart, especially where young children are involved. It’s been a good night and decent money has been raised, which Demba Ba and his trustees will put to good use. I’m proud we had a good Chelsea contingent here tonight to support the cause.”

•For more information, go to: www.humanappeal.org.uk