SV Spakenburg donates sportswear to Mayamba Football Academy
In early July 2024, SV Spakenburg published the following article on their website:
SV Spakenburg donates clothing to Mayamba Football Academy
On Saturday, 29 June, representatives of the Mayamba Football Academy travelled to Spakenburg to collect a large quantity of sportswear. It was a wonderful initiative that reflects one of the core values of SV Spakenburg: social engagement. While this involvement usually focuses on the local community, Spakenburg is always willing to look beyond its own borders when possible.
The Mayamba Football Academy was deeply grateful for the donation and expressed their appreciation in the following message:
“We are truly thankful for the tremendous contribution made by SV Spakenburg through the donation of beautiful, high‑quality clothing — much of it even brand new. When we travelled to SV Spakenburg on 29 June, we expected to receive the club’s ‘old kits’. We had been told it would be a considerable amount. But when our bus was completely filled, and the two accompanying cars were also packed to the brim, we realized just how enormous this donation was.
Thanks to this gift, Mayamba Football Academy is assured of sportswear for the coming years. A portion of the clothing will be shipped shortly, and once the first shirts appear on the football fields, we will share photos and a colourful report.”
The story of Mayamba Football Academy
The story of the Mayamba Football Academy (MFA) reflects daily life in The Gambia, the central role football plays, and the vulnerable position of many young people. In 2017, we — Anita, Annemarie, Leon and Toon — met Muhammed Camara, a talented footballer with a deep commitment to the future of his country.
At a time when many Gambians (including youth from Mayamba) were attempting the dangerous journey to Europe, leaving families behind in uncertainty, Muhammed chose a different path. He founded a football academy to give the youth in his village — and surrounding communities — purpose, structure and hope.
The arrival of the academy was a true celebration for the young people of Mayamba. Training together, being part of something bigger, and working on their development — not only as footballers, but also as human beings.
Participation in this “football celebration” comes with responsibilities. Muhammed emphasizes several core values: respect for parents and elders, commitment to school, and the importance of learning a trade for long‑term prospects. Through these principles, he hopes to guide young Gambians toward a brighter future in their own country.
Mayamba Support Foundation
Together with a dedicated group of supporters, we are now working on the next step for the community of Mayamba and the Mayamba Football Academy. Our plan is to build proper changing rooms and to enclose the academy grounds.
In addition, the Mayamba Support Foundation aims to integrate a Skill Center into the new facility. This center will focus on training young Gambians, helping them build a sustainable future in The Gambia. We know that not every footballer will become a Messi — which is why the combination of a football academy and a learning center is ideal.
The Mayamba Support Foundation works closely with the Village Development Committee (similar to a municipal council), the Village Head, and Mayamba FA. Together, we have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in which all parties commit to supporting the “Mayamba Sports & Skill Center” project.
A new website is currently being developed to showcase the foundation’s activities and to support the next steps toward realizing this project.
The road ahead may be long, but the support from SV Spakenburg is a valuable and encouraging contribution — for which we express our heartfelt thanks.