Match des Héros charity soccer match: the CMA CGM Foundation supports UNICEF’s efforts to champion children’s education in Côte d’Ivoire

Via the Match des Héros charity soccer match, the CMA CGM Foundation will support UNICEF’s Conceptos Plasticos program in Côte d’Ivoire.

The aim of the program is to build schools with bricks manufactured from recycled plastic waste and to provide guaranteed access to education in perfectly suited conditions for children in Côte d’Ivoire by supplying educational equipment and training teachers.

As things stand, 1.6 million children do not have access to the school system in Côte d’Ivoire. This novel method of construction will help to plug the shortage of classrooms so that children in Côte d’Ivoire can be taught in a healthy environment that is conducive to learning.

It also provides a sustainable waste management solution and will help to address a major environmental challenge facing Côte d’Ivoire, which produces over 40,000 tons of plastic waste every year.

The CMA CGM Foundation continues to support better access to education for all children.

The fact that the program is located in Côte d’Ivoire also brings a step forward the goal of establishing initiatives across Africa where there is a tremendous unmet need to train future generations because of the very strong population growth.

In Côte d’Ivoire, the under 25s make up 60% of the population and 400,000 young people leave the school system every year without any qualifications and with poor chances of finding a job.

In addition, the staging of this type of event in Marseille for the first time in UNICEF France’s history resonates with the CMA CGM Foundation’s longstanding ties to the city. 25 young people supported by Marseille-based partner associations will be given free tickets to the game.

Tanya Saadé Zeenny, President of the CMA CGM Foundation, said:

"It gives me great pleasure to announce that we are again joining forces with UNICEF to further the cause of education for all! With 1.6 million children excluded from the education system in Côte d’Ivoire, the CMA CGM Foundation will support the innovative Conceptos Plasticos concept being pioneered by UNICEF via the Match des Héros."

Two teams of top celebrities from France and around the world

The unparalleled event will feature star-studded teams, who will battle it out over 90 minutes on the Orange Vélodrome stadium’s hallowed turf:

• Managed by Arsène Wenger, Team UNICEF’s line up is expected to include: Teddy Riner, a UNICEF France ambassador, together with Tony Parker, Robert Pires, Kev Adams, Hakim Jemili, Matt Pokora, Éric Abidal, Esteban Cambiasso, Ricardo Carvalho, Christian Karembeu, and many more beside!
• Managed by Jean-Pierre Papin, the Team OM Legends will feature: Didier Drogba, Djibril Cissé, Fabrizio Ravanelli, JUL, Naps, Éric Di Meco, Redouane Bourgheraba, alongside other stars, who will take to the field in pursuit of victory.

The event has already kicked off, with ticket sales and the online prize draw now open!

You can buy tickets to the game and enter the prize draw by clicking on the following link.

You can win some exceptional prizes such as Didier Drogba’s OM jersey, Teddy Riner’s kimono and a work by sculptor Richard Orlinski.