FCBARCELONA.CAT

05.03.2010 11:24

BBC joins Laporta in Rwanda

Marc Parramon (enviat especial)

FC Barcelona's work in Rwanda has been documented by a team from the BBC who travelled to Africa to see first-hand what the club's Fundació have been implementing.

"I have never seen anything like it," correspondent Ashish Sharma told www.fcbarcelona.cat. "The work of the foundation is tangible." Sharma was impressed with the education centre and the aid that is being given to the refugees in the Kibiza area. The BBC joined Barça president Joan Laporta on a trip to the country.

The report made by Sharma and his BBC team will be able to be seen on BBC1, BBC World Service, BBC Radio and the BBC website.

"I think that the welcome given by the refugees was incredible," Sharma continued. "I have never seen anything like it. They really appreciate what Barça is doing for them."

With Laporta flying out to see how the work is going, Sharma added: "It says a lot about him."

The local media

Local media interest has also been high and a press conference was held on Thursday to explain what the club has been doing. Laporta spoke to journalists from outlets such as Rwanda Televisión, Radio Rwanda, Voice of Africa, Radio Flash, Amazing Grace Imvaho Shya at the Hotel Serena.

Reflecting on the genocide that took place in 1994 amid fighting between the Hutus and the Tutsis, Laporta stated that "it cannot happen again".

When asked about things closer to home for the president regarding football, Laporta put the team's success down to the effort made by himself, the players and, in particular, the two coaches that he has worked with, Frank Rijkaard and Pep Guardiola.