By Benjamin Makafui Attipoe, Ho
The Bright Senyo Dey Foundation, a Ho-based Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) in the Volta Region, has launched the 2026 Asogli Yam Festival Soccer Tournament, with a commitment to sponsor the competition for the next five years.
The tournament, organised in collaboration with the Central Planning Committee of the Asogli State Yam Festival, is aimed at supporting the annual festival while providing a platform for the discovery, development and promotion of young sporting talents within the Asogli State and beyond.
The launch, held at the Ho Sports Stadium, attracted scores of residents, football enthusiasts and supporters who thronged the venue for the curtain-raiser between Asogli 11 Football Club of Ho and Best Dreams Academy from Accra.
Asogli 11 gave the home supporters something to celebrate, defeating their opponents 3-0 in an entertaining encounter.
Ohene Harrison opened the scoring for Asogli 11 in the 26th minute before Enam Adalah doubled the lead seven minutes later in the 33rd minute. Dotse Nestar completed the scoring in the 60th minute of the second half to seal a convincing victory for the Ho-based side.
The Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Bright Senyo Dey Foundation, Mr. Bright Senyo Dey, officially set the match in motion by kicking the ball at the start of the curtain-raiser.
Speaking at the launch, Mr. Dey said the Foundation’s decision to invest in football was informed by research which indicated the need to engage, motivate and equip young people with opportunities that could help transform their lives. He said football, which enjoys widespread support among the youth, presented an important avenue for bringing young people together, identifying their talents and providing them with opportunities to develop their potential.
According to him, the Foundation had already begun using football as part of its youth engagement programmes through friendly matches, and intended to build the initiative into a much bigger programme in the years ahead. Mr. Dey urged the youth not to be discouraged but to believe in themselves and the opportunities being created through the Foundation. He said the Foundation had bigger ambitions for the programme, stressing that its vision was not limited to the local level but extended to the national and international stage.
The Foundation CEO also cautioned the youth against drug abuse, urging them to stay away from substances that could undermine their future. He said the Foundation would complement the sporting activities with training, counselling and educational programmes to help young people make responsible choices and focus on building productive futures.
Mr. Dey further disclosed that the Foundation’s interventions would not be restricted to Ho or the Volta Region, but would eventually extend to communities outside the region through partnerships with individuals and organisations. He said the Foundation intended to use its international partnerships to create opportunities for young people in areas including skills training, counselling and personal development.
Meanwhile, the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the Bright Senyo Dey Foundation, Mr. Maxwell Kofi Buaka Esq, used the launch to outline the Foundation’s vision, mission and key intervention areas. He said the Foundation was established out of its founder’s childhood experiences of seeing needy children and families struggle to meet basic educational needs.
Mr. Buaka said the founder had witnessed situations where brilliant but needy students were forced to abandon their education because their families could not afford expenses such as registration fees for the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE).
He said the Foundation was therefore determined to ensure that children who needed education were given the opportunity to pursue it, while young people interested in vocational training and those with sporting talents were also supported. He said the Foundation’s vision was to ensure that “no child is denied education, no youth is denied opportunity, and no community is left behind.” Its mission, he added, was to empower, educate and elevate vulnerable individuals and communities.
Mr. Buaka identified dignity, excellence, transparency and collaboration as the Foundation’s four core values. He explained that the Foundation’s programmes were structured around four major pillars, including education, health, community empowerment and support for vulnerable groups.
Under its education interventions, he said the Foundation had established the Bright Futures Scholarship Scheme to support needy students, while the Bright Inbox would focus on educational progression and support for students at the secondary and tertiary levels. He said the Bright Skills Hub would provide opportunities for young people to acquire technological and vocational skills, including carpentry, welding, arc welding and masonry.
On health, Mr. Buaka said the Foundation planned to undertake quarterly health outreach programmes, including free screening to help identify and assist people suffering from various diseases. He said mental health awareness would also form an important component of the Foundation’s health interventions, particularly at the community level. He further disclosed that the Foundation would support persons with disabilities and develop programmes aimed at improving their wellbeing and inclusion in society.
The third pillar, he said, focused on community empowerment, with the football tournament serving as one of the Foundation’s community-based interventions.
According to him, the Foundation intended to use sports to identify talented young people, develop their abilities and help connect deserving players with clubs and other opportunities.
He said the Foundation also had plans to support families and undertake community development projects as part of its broader empowerment agenda. Mr. Buaka acknowledged that achieving the Foundation’s objectives would not be easy but said its board, management and staff remained committed to delivering on the promises made to beneficiaries and communities.
The 2026 Asogli Yam Festival Soccer Gala is scheduled to take place in October 2026 in Ho, with football teams from several communities within the Asogli State expected to participate.
The Bright Senyo Dey Foundation says its five-year sponsorship of the competition is part of its broader commitment to youth development, sports promotion and community empowerment, while also contributing to the growth and success of the Asogli State Yam Festival.
