Awer Mabil’s journey from refugee camp to Socceroos dressing room made headlines last month when he made his debut for the national football team, and now the forward has received yet more global attention after being recognised for his work supporting refugees.
The 23-year-old, who was born the Kakuma refugee camp in Kenya before moving to Australia in 2006, was awarded the 2018 FIFPro Merit award at a ceremony in Rome on Thursday and handed a a US$25,000 cheque from the World Footballers’ Association to continue his charity work.
After returning to the camp in 2014, Mabil set up his “Barefoot to Boots” initiative, which initially aimed to provide children there with football boots but now, four years later, delivers improved conditions and helps transform the lives of young African refugees.
“My aim is to make refugees’ lives easier, to make them realise more that their dreams can come true,” Mabil said. “They [refugees] just want an opportunity to be seen and not be isolated.”
Mabil’s parents fled conflict in South Sudan in 1994 and ended up in the Kakuma camp, which is currently home to more than 185,000 refugees. Mabil was born a year later and remained in the camp until the family immigrated to Adelaide over a decade later.
Mabil, who plays for Danish side FC Midtjylland, made his debut for Graham Arnold’s Socceroos side in a friendly against Kuwait last month. He appeared alongside his childhood friend and fellow debutant Thomas Deng, who also spent his early years in Kenya, and capped his first appearance with a goal on a memorable night for the pair – and Australian football.
It highlighted a remarkable rise for the players but Mabil has not forgotten his roots. His Barefoot to Boots charity now not only provides boots and kit for the children of Kakuma but it also offers education and healthcare through the donation of laptops, incubators and sanitary kits for young women, as well as other equipment.
“Awer Mabil’s Barefoot to Boots is a brilliant program,” said Tony Higgins, a spokesperson of the Merit award jury. “He is doing a tremendous job in trying to bring hope and improved life quality to unfortunate people from many African countries who reside in the Kakuma camp.
“People do not voluntarily choose to become a refugee, most of them are forced to flee their homes due to life-threatening circumstances for themselves or their family. Next to that, living in a refugee camp is extremely difficult and sad. A simple thing such as playing football can already bring much needed happiness.”
Mabil said he was considering using the award money to build a youth centre or to provide scholarships for refugees in the Kakuma camp. “I want to help refugees through football, as football has given me so much,” he said.
