Christian Atsu: how to donate to Ghana school build set up in ex Newcastle player’s name after Turkey earthquake

Following the confirmation that the former Newcastle footballer and Hayatspor star Christian Atsu has died, a GoFundMe page has been set up in his name in order to raise funds for a charity with whom he worked very closely.

It had initially been reported that Atsu, 31, had been rescued from the rubble of a collapsed building following the Turkey-Syriaearthquake. However, following subsequent messages that said he had not yet been found, the news came on 18 February that the former Newcastle star had died in the disaster.

The Ghanaian international’s agent took to Twitter to confirm “It is with the heaviest of hearts that I have to announce to all well wishers that sadly Christian Atsu’s body was recovered this morning. My deepest condolences go to his family and loved ones. I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for their prayers and support.”

Atsu had been heavily involved with the Arms Around The Child charity and a GoFundMe page has now been set up in order to help raise more money. Atsu had reportedly always hoped to build a school in his home country to benefit orphaned children.

Here is all you need to know about how to donate to the GoFundMe campaign...

What is the Arms Around The Child charity?

This charity, for which Atsu had been an ambassador, has seven bases around the world - Soweto, Durban and Johannesburg in South Africa; Jalore, Jaipur and Manipur in India as well as Senya-Beraku (Ghana). It is a global charity building a beter and kinder environment for children living in extreme adversity, possibly orphaned, abandoned, at risk of child abuse or living in a child-headed households.

In 2018, Christian and AATC launched a campaign to build a new school to benefit orphaned children and the local community in Senya Beraku. Together, they organised the Black Star Gala, during his time at Newcastle to help kickstart the fundraising for the project.

What has been said?

The organiser of the page, Gaynor Fascione, has said: “I have with Christian Atsu since 2014, and one of the things I helped him do was develop his philanthropic endeavours.Christian had a dream to build a school in Ghana to benefit orphaned children and other children in the community of Senya Beraku. He has been the main benefactor of this school build so far and we are very close to completing it.

On Saturday 4th Feb 2023, just one day before his final game in which he scored a last-minute winning goal, he responded ‘Thank you for the update. I will arrange some money so that we will be able to complete it fast, I am very happy with the progress.’ Later in the day, he emailed again to say that he would come to open the school in June and bring his Black Star friends. This was our last correspondence with Christian; as always, he was thinking about the children and what he could do to help others. and other children in the community of Senya Beraku, Ghana.

It’s very important to me and many of Christian’s family and close friends, that we complete this project for him and continue his legacy of trying to help those less fortunate than himself. The World was only blessed with Christian’s angelic existence for a short amount of time but in this time he has touched thousands of people and the outpouring of love for him after his passing has been overwhelming. So I ask you to join me and make one of Christian’s dreams come true, continue his great work and keep his spirit alive. We are almost there, but not quite.”

How to donate

Arms Around the Child have their own website with more information about their projects in Ghana as well as in their other main sites around the world. To donate straight to the GoFundMe page, go to the website, set up by Fascione.