Following the success of last year’s health walk, this year’s initiative took a different direction. The awareness campaign moved from the streets to the football pitch, using the power of sport to bring people together and encourage meaningful conversations about mental health.

Under the theme “Strong Minds – Strong Communities,” the Gens Football Match, held in commemoration of World Mental Health Day, brought together six teams for a day of football, awareness, community engagement  at St. Francis Field in Makeni.

Football for Mental Health Awareness

Football is more than a game in Sierra Leone. It is a powerful social platform that connects people across generations, backgrounds and communities. In Makeni, where football is deeply woven into the social fabric of the city, it provided an ideal opportunity to deliver an important message in a way that was engaging, accessible and enjoyable. The event featured three exciting matches involving six Teams

UniMak Staff vs Practicing Veterns FC 

Wusum Hotel Female Staff vs. Mena Queens 

Hercules Gym vs. Wusum Hotel Male Staff

Before the football action got underway, participants and spectators were treated to an insightful mental health awareness session delivered by Madam Nancy Amanda Steavens, a representative from Succeed SL. Her session provided an important reminder that mental health deserves the same attention and care as physical health. It also encouraged participants to recognise the importance of seeking support, talking openly about mental health and looking out for the wellbeing of others.

From Awareness to Action   

Following the awareness talk, the football matches officially kicked off with the ceremonial first kick by Madam Sarah Miana, Front of House Manager at Wusum Hotel, one of the event’s leading sponsors. From the opening whistle, the atmosphere at St. Francis Field was energetic, positive and engaging. The matches provided plenty of sporting excitement while keeping the central message of the event firmly in focus. Each game became more than a competition. It was an opportunity to connect, have fun, promote healthy social interaction and reinforce the idea that building mentally healthy communities requires everyone to play a part.

The initiative also demonstrated how sport can be used as an effective vehicle for social awareness. By combining football with mental health education, the organisers created a space where an important subject could be discussed naturally, while bringing together young people, professionals, sports enthusiasts, businesses and members of the wider community.

Celebrating Community and Partnership

The event concluded with the presentation of certificates to all participating teams, followed by refreshments and an opportunity for participants, sponsors and supporters to connect and celebrate the success of the initiative. The mental health message also travelled beyond the football field through the distribution of T-shirts carrying awareness messages. In this way, participants became ambassadors for the cause, helping to keep the conversation about mental health visible within the wider community.

The success of the event would not have been possible without the support of the sponsors, participating teams, partners, volunteers, organisers and members of the Makeni community who came out to support the initiative.

Special appreciation goes to Wusum Hotel and all other sponsors and partners whose support helped make the event possible.

A Stronger, Healtheir Makeni

For US, initiatives such as this reflect an important part of what makes Makeni special. The city is not only a place to visit; it is a community where people come together, ideas are shared, businesses collaborate and social causes can inspire collective action. Events that combine sport, community engagement, social responsibility and wellbeing contribute to a more vibrant Makeni and create opportunities for residents and visitors alike to experience the warmth, energy and community spirit of the city.

We are already looking ahead to next year, with ambitions to make the event bigger, more inclusive and even more impactful.

There is also an open invitation to businesses, organisations, development partners, community groups and individuals who share the vision to come on board through partnerships and collaborations.

Because building a healthy community is a team effort.

Strong Minds. Strong Communities. Stronger Makeni.