Emilio Butragueño talking to children in a camp for people made homeless by the earthquake

27 May 2010: Former Real Madrid football star and Plan Spain board member Emilio Butragueño has launched a sports project to help Haitian children overcome the emotional distress caused by the earthquake.

In a joint initiative between Plan and the Real Madrid Foundation, 24 young Plan volunteers living in the camps for displaced people will be trained in using football to help children recover from the disaster.

Healing sport

”Football is a universal language that helps people come together to have fun and enjoy, and that's what they should be doing these children now, play and have fun,” said Butragueño. 

“We must help them overcome the wounds in their memories, and I think that football can help a lot in that sense.”

Once trained, the young volunteers will return to the camps in Jacmel and Croix-des-Bouquets, each with a kit donated by the Foundation full of everything needed to play and practice, including shirts, balls, portable goal posts and books.

Kick off

Children enjoy a match with the former Real Madrid star

Butragueño took the opportunity to visit a camp that Plan works in, touring the facilities as well as learning about Plan’s recovery work, which includes setting up child-friendly spaces, early childhood development work and health activities.

To kick off the training programme, he also played a football match with a group of Haitian girls and boys, much to their delight.

Great value

Plan Spain Director Concha Lopez said: ”The value of training and kits provided by the Real Madrid Foundation goes far beyond sports. It is a fundamental element to provide these children, through sport, a sense of security and normalcy in their lives.”

Watch video of Butragueño’s visit to Haiti on the El Mundo website

Find out more about Plan’s recovery work in Haiti

Donate to the Haiti earthquake appeal