About Football Is Freedom
The Football is Freedom Initiative is the logical extension of the work Cedella Marley began seven years ago when the late Captain Horace Burrell asked Marley to become Global Ambassador for the women’s football program. Under the mantra “Football is freedom” (a quote from her famous father, music and cultural icon Bob Marley), Cedella rallied Jamaicans at home and abroad behind the Reggae Girlz and the team’s story captured the hearts of reggae and football fans all over the world.
When the team made history by becoming the first Caribbean women’s team to qualify for the FIFA Women’s World Cup one chapter of the story ended and a new one began: The mission to give every young girl the opportunity to realize her personal, professional, and educational goals through football is now broader than any one country, federation, or organization.
“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 clinics and academies in the Caribbean, Central Latin America, 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 skill sets and tools to help them succeed outside of football once that time comes.
