FIFA’s Isha Johansen visits the Sierra Leone Female Correctional Center under the proposed Fifa Foundation collaboration

Freetown | 16 December 2021 | Vertex Media

Speculation of a gender empowerment program supported by The Fifa Foundation looms as the world governing body – Fifa Council Executive – Isha Johansen pays a 1-day visit to the Sierra Leone’s Female Correctional Center, at Special Court in Freetown.

The FIFA Council and CAF Executive Committee Member Isha Johansen paid a second visit to the special women’s correctional centre yesterday, 15th December, holding meetings with senior Prison Officers. She was later given a tour of the centre, including what was originally a helicopter landing pad and which could be ideal for an outdoor football recreational facility.

Johansen was also given access to its administrative, logistics and computer room as well as the child friendly nursery room.

In April 2021, Fifa Secretary General Fatma Samoura and Isha Johansen visited the correctional centre both visibly moved by the number of very young female offenders. Samoura made a personal donation of five thousand dollars which the women have put towards the construction of a tailoring factory to produce football jerseys, and other skilled crafts works.

Female Inmates constructing a factory with personal donation from Fifa Secretary General Fatma Samoura

The visit ended with the Fifa Executive having a communal private chat with the inmates where she shared her personal views and experiences about life, courage, resilience.

Isha Johansen signs a football for three year old Senesie who would be leaving his mother to be fostered in the hope of finding a new family.

“My journey in football has taught me priceless and lifelong lessons”
Isha laments, while speaking to female inmates in Freetown

She went on to add that her visit was not to play the role of a legal counsel, but to try to use football as a tool to empower and reform the lives of the several young women at the centre.

“I know what it is like to be wrongly accused and wrongly judged. I also know how easily someone can find themselves in the unfortunate situation you are in today”
“Lets use the power of football to Reform and Change”
Isha Johansen at Female Correctional Center

Madam Johansen ended her emotional talk by saying that this is the time that their faith in God should be strengthened and also unity through sisterhood. She urged them not to let themselves down but to ensure that a gender empowerment project using football for reform and change would be a worthy project globally.

Isha made a one day visit but flew in for 72 hours before heading to Doha, Qatar yesterday 15th December for the finals of the Fifa Arab Cup scheduled for Saturday 18th December 2021.