Caribcast/MNI Media
Thursday, October 14, 2021
Cedella Marley (CEO of the Bob Marley Group of companies); currently in her seventh year as Global Ambassador for the Jamaica Women’s Football Programme, is now expanding her advocacy and commitment to the women’s game. Her new Football is Freedom Initiative will provide tools and resources for the development and growth of women’s football throughout the Caribbean and Latin America as well as diaspora communities in the United States.
“In the process of my role as ambassador, I have taken note of the crucial role that football can play in empowering young women; through opportunities for education and professional advancement (both on and off the pitch). Through the Football is Freedom Initiative we can expand our efforts to other countries in the region and eventually beyond.” - Cedella Marley
The core mission of FIF is trifold:
- Support the development of women’s football at the grass-roots level in the region by funding existing programs/academies in the islands AND in diaspora communities in Canada and the United States
- Supporting the growth and development of national teams by staging an annual exhibition match/mini tournament to provide a quality training experience and raise funds that will go directly into the women’s programs of the participating federations
- Invest in the holistic wellness of the players by funding scholarships and programs that assist players with skillsets and tools to help them succeed outside of football once that time comes.
The launch of Football Is Freedom centers around an international friendly fundraising match between the national women’s teams of Jamaica and Costa Rica. In addition to helping fund the new initiative, a portion of the proceeds will be donated to each national team. Marley is particularly pleased that Costa Rica will join Jamaica on the pitch at DRV PNK Stadium. “In 2014, I was honored to attend the FIFA U-17 WWC finals in Costa Rica (as the guest of the late Capt. Horace Burrell). The Costa Rican federation's investment in women's football has helped to inspire my own ideas about the impact that the women’s game could have once given the proper support. Having two of our strongest female teams come together like this is a chance to demonstrate the potential depth and power of women’s football in this region.”
The Reggae Girlz and Las Sele both arrive in South Florida October 18th for a week of training and a two-game series. In adherence to FIFA- mandated COVID protocols, the delegations will be housed in protective isolation during the camp. The first match will be a closed-door scrimmage, and the finale will be a fundraising match open to the public. The camp is the result of a combined effort by the Bob Marley Foundation, Rita Marley Foundation, and Reggae Girlz Foundation. The match is being presented by Cedella Marley in association with Black Tower Agency.
