Busajo Campus

Busajo NGO ETS, founded in 2009, focuses particularly on the younger generations, directing resources towards education and vocational training for girls and boys living on the streets of Soddo, Ethiopia. It is a non-political, non-religious, secular, and independent organization, with its own ethical code that regulates all its activities and initiatives, focusing on non-assistive projects aimed at making the beneficiaries permanently autonomous and self-sufficient.

Initially, the NGO chose to join a project funded by the Catholic Church in 2009, before launching its own project in 2012, named ‘Busajo Campus’.

The relationship between Hellas Verona and Busajo NGO ETS began in the summer of 2012, at the initiative of then-President Maurizio Setti. Over the years, many initiatives have been promoted in synergy between the Club and the NGO.

In Ethiopia, in Wolayta, one of the poorest regions on the planet, around 5.83 million people live every day in precarious conditions, with a life expectancy that stops at the age of 63.

In Soddo – a city in this region with a population of about 200,000 inhabitants, located 330 km south of Addis Ababa – and in the surrounding rural areas, the situation is even worse. However, in recent years, the Ethiopian government has invested in new infrastructure: roads, airports, government offices, and schools built throughout the region. The rapid phenomenon of urbanization, building expansion, and demographic growth, however, has led to a sudden increase in the number of ‘street children’, who flee rural villages to the city in search of better living conditions, contributing to micro-crime and child prostitution.

From these premises, Busajo Campus was born – a project aimed at these minors, but also focused on the rehabilitation and vocational training of older girls and boys who do not fall within the few existing projects for younger children in the country.

Building a campus of approximately 37,000 square meters, where around 80 boys and girls reside on a rotating basis, was an urgent necessity. The children, during their three years at the campus, receive care, education, vocational training, and are taught respect for themselves and others. But most importantly, they are removed from the dangerous world of the streets and, when possible, reintegrated with their families at the end of their program.

As Hellas Verona Foundation, we believe that sport plays a fundamental role in this rehabilitation and training process, which is why we fully funded the construction of the only natural grass football field in the region, also providing the necessary equipment for sporting activities.

On Sunday, January 26, 2020, during the Serie A match Hellas Verona-Lecce, the Gialloblù wore a special jersey. On the back of the kit was a patch featuring the Busajo Onlus logo. The jerseys, signed by the players, were then auctioned on MatchWornShirt, with all proceeds donated to the NGO.