# Rudy and Hawa Gestede create the Jaarama Foundation

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2020/03/03/rudy-and-hawa-gestede-create-the-jaarama-foundation/
- Published: 2020-03-03T10:04:17+00:00
- Author: Howard Lake

**Footballer Rudy Gestede and his wife Hawa have created a charitable foundation
which aims to support orphaned children across West Africa.**

The [Jaarama Foundation](https://jaarama.org/) uses the word for ‘thank you’ in 
Fula.

Born in France, Gestede plays for Championship club Middlesbrough and the Benin 
national team. He previously played for Aston Villa and Blackburn Rovers.

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The Newcastle-based charity’s mission is “to nurture the next generation of children
in West African countries, providing them with the education and tools they need
to succeed in life.” Its first project is “to build a new home for orphaned children
in Benin, here they will be cared and nurtured for from the ages of three to ten
years old.”

Gestede said: “Hawa and I have always wanted to adopt at least one child, thus our
desire to support and nurture orphans.”

Writing on LinkedIn, [Gestede added](https://www.linkedin.com/company/jaarama-foundation/):“
In the past years, my wife and I have travelled to the region and have seen many
orphans and have thought about how we can make a difference in their lives.”

Ebadur Rahman of [MuslimGiving](https://www.muslimgiving.org/) is advising the Gestedes
on the foundation’s fundraising activities.

 

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