Meet Carine N'koué – the new general secretary of the UEFA Foundation for Children

Carine N'koué has dedicated over a decade to visiting and supporting various humanitarian projects, gaining invaluable insights into the diverse challenges faced by vulnerable children and communities all over the world. Her hands-on experience with the UEFA Foundation for Children and unwavering commitment to humanitarian work led to her appointment as general secretary last June. In this interview, Carine reflects on her journey, the impact of the foundation's initiatives and her aspirations for fostering positive change through the power of football.

Carine, congratulations on your new role! How did you first come across the foundation, and what has been your experience with its projects?

I witnessed the creation of the foundation from the inside. My involvement began in Jordan in 2013, working with UEFA and the Asian Football Development Programme during the Syrian refugee crisis. When the UEFA Foundation for Children was established in 2015, I continued my work under its umbrella. I spent over four years in Jordan, implementing projects in refugee camps like Za'atari and Azraq, focusing on integrating refugee children and fostering social cohesion while using football, and sports in general, as a fantastic tool to do good.

How has your first-hand experience with the Foundation's work, especially in refugee camps, shaped your perspective and the Foundation's mission?

Being in the camps and interacting daily with the children in need and their families profoundly impacted who I am and how I see things. Working on the ground has given me invaluable insights into the different realities and challenges people face, making my work at the UEFA Foundation more efficient.

These experiences reminded me that our beneficiaries are not just numbers; they are individuals with dreams and struggles. I strongly believe it is crucial to regularly visit our projects and speak to people on the ground to help us better understand and respond to children's needs, ensuring we stay connected to their realities and tailor our support in the best way possible.

Carine N'koué talking with a young beneficiary from a project.UEFA Foundation

How does it feel to lead the UEFA Foundation, especially as we prepared to celebrate its tenth anniversary?

It's an exciting and significant responsibility, especially after ten years of impactful work. We aim to continue developing our activities while strengthening the foundation's legitimacy. We want to engage our members, federations, clubs, players and sponsors even more in social responsibility projects to create a bigger impact for communities and children worldwide. There is still a lot of work to do, but I am confident and hopeful for the future. Again, football has a great role to play in this. It is the universal game that connects everyone globally and it can have a tremendous impact on everyone's life, especially children!

What challenges do you foresee for the foundation in the coming years and how do you see its role evolving?

The foundation will continue to act as a catalyst, bringing partners together for the common goal of helping vulnerable kids across the globe through the uniting power of football and sports.

We must remain focused on the needs of our beneficiaries and keep them at the centre of everything we do. Our role is to give a voice to the most vulnerable children and leverage our strategic position to unite different sectors for greater impact.

How can football and other sports contribute to the development and well-being of vulnerable children globally?

Sports, especially football, have the power to bring communities together, promote health and teach valuable life skills. Our projects use football to promote personal development and encourage healthy lifestyles, but also gender equality, inclusion of children with disabilities or social integration.

This year, we allocated €5m to 72 impactful projects across 80 countries. We also leverage UEFA competitions to give kids the opportunity to attend games, meet players or raise awareness of charities' work.

For example, at EURO 2024 last summer, we donated 10,000 tickets to disadvantaged children and teenagers in all ten host cities as part of the 10,000 Smiles project.

Carine N'Koué speaks at the 2024 UEFA CongressUEFA

What are some of the foundation's key achievements over the past ten years?

It's hard to choose, but one key achievement is the positive impact on children in refugee camps in Jordan, such as the Za'atari camp, where organised sports activities have provided a safe environment and helped children heal from trauma. The project began with a few children, including only three girls due to cultural reasons, playing on the desert sand. Today it benefits around 2,800 boys and 1,800 girls. The project has been incredibly successful, achieving exactly the kind of impact we aim for when we support charities.

After ten years, the project continues to thrive. With the evolving situation in Syria, we are committed to supporting refugees who choose to return to their country.

Another great example is the Mpira Fursa project in Tanzania aimed at empowering girls by providing access to education. In many regions, education for girls is not prioritised.

Our partner offers football and educational opportunities to girls while working with the community and parents to highlight the importance of girls' education. Initially, the percentage of girls attending school was very low, with high dropout rates. After three years, the project achieved equal school attendance rates for boys and girls, and the dropout rate among girls was even lower than for boys. This demonstrates the significant impact of combining education with engaging activities like football.

Last but not least, a key achievement is the recognition the foundation has received in the sport-for-good sector from international organisations such as UNHCR, IOM, and ITC, as well as NGOs and other institutions like the European Commission. For example, we were awarded Foundation of the Year at the Peace and Sport Awards, which honour organisations promoting sustainable peace through sport. We are proud to have successfully engaged sponsors in our initiatives, creating a movement to provide unique opportunities for children, whether it is by acting as player mascots during matches or supporting projects that positively impact their daily lives and futures.

Are there any particular moments from your journey with the foundation that stand out to you?

Meeting people is at the heart of our work. We encounter people from diverse cultures, sharing their joys and challenges. For instance, during a visit to one of our projects in Lesbos, Greece, amidst an overcrowded reception centre where UNHCR was working hard to respond to the basic needs of a huge number of refugees, a young boy offered me half of his meal when he saw I had none. It was a touching moment of generosity despite having so little.

I remember some of the emotional meet-and-greets we organised with players. Last year at the UEFA Super Cup in Warsaw, a 15-year-old with disabilities was moved to tears after meeting his idol Kylian Mbappé.

I also recall a discussion with a UEFA sponsor manager about funding allocation. It can be challenging to explain the need to follow community-driven solutions rather than imposing external ideas. However, the sponsor's openness and willingness to listen and support community solutions were truly inspiring.

Meeting community members who dedicate themselves to improving their communities and fighting for their rights is incredibly motivating. These individuals are the true leaders, and we strive to support them in every way we can.

Carine N'koué meets the local community of the Za'atari Camp, Jordan.UEFA Foundation

How important is the support of partners to the foundation's work?

The support of UEFA, football federations, partners, and ambassadors is vital to the foundation's work. All partners are drivers of our actions, making it a collective effort. Their commitment and engagement are crucial in helping us achieve our goals. The UEFA president, federations, clubs, players, and ambassadors like Eugénie Le Sommer and Ivan Rakitić play significant roles in raising awareness and supporting our projects. Their profile and wider reach amplify our impact.

Whether through charity matches, meet-and-greets, or participating in ceremonies, they help make children's dreams come true and act as role models, while shining a light on our work.