FOOTBALL4GOOD MAGAZINE - DECEMBER 2019

Serge Gnabry and the TackleAfrica players on the pitch during his visit in Ivory Coast. THIS IS YOUR FIRST FIELD TRIP. HOW HAS THE EXPERIENCE BEEN SO FAR? Very surprising. I once received a video from Thomas [the Co-Founder of Common Goal], who sent it to me personally, where they [participants and staff from the organisation TackleAfrica] greeted me, when I agreed to support the project here. But to be here now is, of course, anoth- er world - to see this on site. The whole pro- gramme, how the training runs…also that I now understand how such a message about football is spread and that the girls or boys, the children, understand that and how it helps them. TELL US A BIT ABOUT YOUR VISIT TODAY IN GRAND-BASSAM. We drove to the Community Centre here in Grand-Bassam. I have to say, the Community Centre looks really great. There are many projects...Electricity is practiced with the kids, sewing with the girls. What else was there? A library, computers. A lot is offered already, which is very good for the kids. What really hit home was when we then went outside. Just on the other side of a wall are the slums, where the children who take part in these programmes live. We had two children who showed us their home. That was an extreme experience to see in what poverty the kids live. WHAT WAS THE HIGHLIGHT OF YOUR VISIT OF THE PROGRAMME? What stuck in my mind? For example, the form of training the girls were doing, where they use certain things for certain words, certain signs whereby they memorise things and become aware of them. For example, during a scoring exercise, seeing the ball as a virus when it goes into the goal. The virus has infected the body. If the goalkeeper saves the goal, that’s the de- fence system, which blocks it. Such methods, I think, also stick with the kids, and the more often they do them, the better. I think that learning by doing makes a big difference. And I think Africa is a continent, one of the biggest ones that loves football, that supports football. I just talked to the girls who told me how they watched the game Ivory Coast yesterday and were really happy. Football is a part of their lives, it will accompany them their whole lives. It is through the methods, through football, that you can teach them something. They can have fun by being open and not just stupidly sitting and listening, but also being active themselves. That is a very, very good way to do things. WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR YOU TO BE EXPERIENCING ALL THIS HERE, IN IVORY COAST? My dad is from here. Of course, a lot of my upbringing came from what he brought with him from here. He has been living in Germany for a long time, so he has adapted to it. But still, I have a lot of family here and, when I got older, I realised: ‘Okay, I want to know where I come from. Where is my father from? What do I have inside me? What are my roots?’ And that’s why it just interested me to come here to see my family and get to know life here and, for the future, I’m planning to be here more often to see my family, support projects here and live out the African culture that is part of who I am. WHEN DID YOU COME TO IVORY COAST FOR THE FIRST TIME? WHAT HAS CHANGED SINCE? I came here for the first time when I was thir- teen, for five weeks in the summer holidays. “I HAD NEVER BEEN IN THE SLUMS LIKE TODAY. THAT WAS ANOTHER, VERY DIFFERENT LEVEL, AND I THINK THAT IF YOU’VE REALLY EXPERIENCED THAT, IT MOTIVATES YOU TO DO MUCH MORE.” 10 11 FOOTBALL4GOODMAGAZINE | DECEMBER 2019 IN-DEPTH INTERVIEWWITH SERGEGNABRY