Liberian Girl
Posted on 09/01/2009
Dehkontee Sayon, Liberia deservedly won the "Best Female Player" award at the Melbourne 2008 Homeless World Cup and was a key member of Team Liberia, runners up in the first ever Women's Homeless World Cup. We caught up with her to see what the Best Female Player has been up to since she returned home:
"My friends and relatives have received me back home proudly. A soccer game was played in appreciation of my splendid performance and voting me as Best Female Player at the Melbourne 2008 Homeless World Cup," shared Dehkontee.
"We even presented our Runner up Trophy to the Government of Liberia. We hope the presentation will stimulate the Government to help us with our budget for 2009/2010."
So what else does she have planned now after her victorious return?
Dehkontee is passing her success on to other Women in Liberia sharing the "wonderful experience and opportunity she had" attending the Homeless World Cup with her community and encouraging other players to focus and keep playing the game as it "is a tool for their future."
"I really want to work with women organisations to help other needful women of my country."
"It is all very exciting. I am so happy and proud to acknowledge what football has done and continues to do for me," she adds.
Wallace Weiah, President of FODEDE the organisation responsible for grassroots development in Liberia and fielding Liberia's Homeless World Cup Squad said: "Dehkontee is being really positive about her future and this is proving to be an inspiration to all those around her. Her story of her humble beginnings of playing football as a homeless woman in her native country of Liberia and her journey to the Homeless World Cup in Melbourne has been watched by all at home and abroad."
