BT Football Academy kids finally coming home!
The children and coaches from BT Football Academy who were stranded in Portugal will be home by the end of the week.
CapeTalk’s Clarence Ford speaks with Coach Jessie James Julius from BT Football Academy
Listen below:
A group of 28 children from the BT Football Academy and their coaches became stranded in Lisbon, Portugal after taking part in an international football tournament.
On 14 July, the day they were supposed to return to South Africa, they discovered they had no return flights booked.
Julius says they have been unable to get hold of the Chairman of BT Football Academy for assistance.
They have been staying in accommodation in Lisbon thanks to donations.
The coaches and parents have also had to pay out of pocket to make sure the children have enough food, as they were only receiving around R1500 to feed 38 people.
Thanks to the Tracey Lange Cares Initiative, which spearheaded calls for donations, the entire group will be able to return home by the end of the week.
RELATED: Tracey Lange Cares spearheads campaign to bring back BT Football Academy boys stranded in Europe
Julius says the children have been in great spirits after hearing the news that they will finally be able to get home.
“Just to see what the kids went through this week is heartbreaking.”
- Coach Jessie James Julius from BT Football Academy (IN: 02:10)
Scroll up to the audio player for more.