French Funeral CEO Fosters Cultural Exchange Through Youth Football in Morocco

At the origin of this commitment by the CEO of Choix funéraire in Figeac is an observation made by Patrick Jeanjean. He realized the huge difference in living standards and lack of resources of young Moroccans compared to their counterparts in the metropolis, during his trips to the kingdom, reports La Dépêche. "I then wondered how to bring a little hope and happiness into their lives. After discussing it with my family, the idea of an exchange, through sport, especially football, a universal vector, seemed obvious to us," says Patrick Jeanjean.

With Sylvie, his wife, a member of the Rotary Club of Figeac, and Dina, their 14-year-old daughter, an educator with the Figeac Capdenac Quercy Foot Club, along with Jimmy Mathey, they decided to shake things up. "When Patrick proposed the project to us, surprise quickly gave way to concern. Sending twenty kids and their parents to Morocco is tempting on paper, but less obvious to implement. But, after some research and the exemplary work of the two qualified educators mentioned above, assisted by their colleague, Thierry Dumont, the challenge appeared achievable to us," says Gilles Estival, president of the FCQFC. He will add that the trip is covered in terms of insurance by the FFF and the three educators will manage all the supervision. "Beyond the planned matches, where the sporting challenge will be present, the cultural aspect will also be paramount," he indicates.

"Beyond sport, we see in this initiative a useful cultural exchange in our fight against illiteracy," explains one of the members of the service club. He recalled that the service club has already participated in the construction of latrines in a primary school, where the little girls no longer came because of this absence. "During this trip, all exchanges will be in French, so that everyone is fully aware of all the differences. We believe that the clash of cultures will be beneficial for the young people, but also for the adults," he adds.