FIFPRO Honours Andre Onana For Charity Work In Cameroon

Manchester United goalkeeper, Andre Onana, has been recognized with the FIFPRO Impact Award for his humanitarian efforts.

His foundation provides medical care to underserved communities in Cameroon and other regions in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Doctors have performed more than 1,200 surgical operations over the past three years in collaboration with the Andre Onana Foundation, which works with medical professionals to provide surgery and care for people, particularly children.

The accolade is included in FIFPRO’s Annual Merit Awards, which celebrate players who contribute to their communities. As part of this recognition, the global soccer players’ union will make a $10,000 donation to Onana’s foundation.

“When I passed through Barcelona, Amsterdam, and Milan on my way to Manchester United, I had people who helped me on that journey. When I was down, they gave me a hand so that I could stand up,” Cameroonian Onana said on FIFPRO’s website.

“I’ve never forgotten the help I received.

“Because of the people in the past who supported me, I feel I have a responsibility to give back and help others.”

Onana stated that his initial goal when establishing the foundation was to assist blind children in Cameroon.

However, it has since evolved into a nonprofit organization that brings doctors and surgeons, primarily from Spain, to Africa to carry out medical procedures.

Onana’s United teammate Marcus Rashford won the award in 2020 for his campaign to continue free school meals for disadvantaged children in the United Kingdom when schools were closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Finland international Linda Sallstrom received FIFPRO’s Player Activism Award for her vocal advocacy on human rights issues, including equality, racism, and democracy.

In March, she bravely addressed fans in Gothenburg, Sweden, who she claimed directed misogynistic slurs toward her and her teammates.

Former South Korean goalkeeper, Ga-Ae Kang won the Player Voice for leading efforts by Korean footballers and the country’s player union, KPFA, to improve employment conditions for female players and raise the visibility of the Women’s K League.