YKK HOLDING ASIA PTE. LTD. (YHA) have chosen to continue their collaboration with the Real Madrid Foundation (RMF) for the 12th edition of their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative. The aim of this program is to support the healthy growth of children through football clinics. This is the first time the event will be held in Pakistan.

The event, YKK Asia Group Kids Football Clinic (AKFC), brings three coaches from Real Madrid Foundation to Karachi to share footballing tips, techniques and basic fundamentals to 300 underprivileged children from four different NGOsover two days of fun and interactive training sessions. The RMF coaches, Javier Garcia Torres, Daniel Landaburu Rotella & Guillermo Hamdan Zaragoza, will also demonstrate and share their world-class training methodologies and training techniques with 30 local coaches.

YKK, who are the industry leaders in fastening products, has taken much thought and care in providing a special opportunity to these underprivileged children whereby they get to rub shoulders with the most multi-titled La Liga team in history; with 33 Championship titles to their club’s name. Karachi will be the second and final of its edition for the year 2018, with Manila having been completed in June 2018where YKK once again gave local kids and coaches the opportunity to experience world-class football from these invited international coaches.

Mr. Kosuke Miimi, YHA’s President, commented, “AKFC is an integral program that not only values children, but the community as well. This event gives opportunities to those who normally have lesser chances at sports and brings the community together to celebrate the love of football.We believe that football is a common language that everyone can enjoy regardless of culture, nationality or religion.”

“We have successfully partnered with YHA since 2012 and have had incredible and positive experiences from the Asian countries where the events have been held. Watching the local coaches and children engage and participate in a sport which knows no language or social barriers is the ultimate reward,” noted Mr. Guillermo Hamdan Zaragoza, Technical Coach for Real Madrid Foundation’s Clinics.

The clinics draw on YKK’s corporate philosophy of the “Cycle of Goodness”, which states that “No one prospers without rendering benefit to others.” This same philosophy is the guiding mantra behind the clinics’ success and is its main driving factor to benefit the local community at large.

Each participant in the clinic received a full set of YKK/Real Madrid Foundation football jersey kit which includes football boots, a cap, socks, and a certificate of participation. Other sporting equipment such as footballs, sports bibs and training cones were also provided by YKK over the three-day event. Furthermore, YKK donated all footballs and training equipment’s after the event to the invited NGO.

This year, the YKK AKFC press conference was graced by an esteemed panel of guests, including:

  1. Mr KosukeMiimi – President, YKK Holding Asia Pte Ltd
  2. Mr Atsushi Arai – Managing Director, YKK Pakistan (Private) Limited
  3. Mr Naveed Asghar Sheikh – General Manager (Marketing) YKK Pakistan (Private) Limited
  4. Mr Alson Ng – Regional Marketing Manager, YKK Holding Asia Pte. Ltd 
  5. Mr Guillermo Hamdan Zaragoza – Technical Coach for Real Madrid Foundation’s Clinics
  6. Mr Rahim Baksh – General Secretary, Sindh Football Association.