Philipp Lahm first visited South Africa, the host nation for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, back in the summer of 2007. What the FCB and Germany star witnessed in the township of Soweto left such an overwhelming impression, he established a charitable foundation in his own name on his return to Germany.
“I was shaken,” Lahm recalled after the visit to one of Johannesburg’s poorest districts. “I saw kids out on the streets who were exceptionally talented, but they just don’t have the opportunities I had as a child.”
Moved to help
This was the basic starting point for his charity, Lahm explained. “All kids around the world should have the same chances in life,” he commented, “so I’d like to return something of what football has given me. I’ve been very, very lucky in my life, so it’s time to return some of that good fortune.”
Lahm’s foundation aims to promote sport and education for disadvantaged kids and youths. The charity is currently involved in two projects. “Shoes for Bokoji” provides equipment for kids in the Ethiopian uplands, who currently train barefoot on stony, sloping ground. In the “Lilalu Project”, the Philipp Lahm Foundation provides assistance for girls from immigrant backgrounds in the Munich area.
Lahm in charge
Lahm personally takes a management role in all his charity’s activities. “It’s hard to say how much time I put in, but I take all the final decisions. At the end of the day, it’s my foundation,” the 25-year-old declared.
Topics of this article