Bamako

It is 5: 30 a.m. on a Monday morning in Bamako, and Amadou Kéita is walking to the bus he takes to the academy.

Young African Football Players Are a Hot Commodity in Europe | Impact Lab

Afootball academy for young players in Bamako, the capital of Mali.

Young African Football Players Are a Hot Commodity in Europe | Impact Lab

Guillou spent €1.6 million to build the academy in Bamako, which costs €165,000 a year to run.

Young African Football Players Are a Hot Commodity in Europe | Impact Lab

Recent legislation improving the status and rights of women led to protests and demonstrations in Bamako; the government was criticised for being pushed into even these very modest measures by donors and was forced to backdown and withdraw the legislation.

Mali's women face an even tougher future

But for the boys in Bamako, Guillou is someone who can help them achieve a better life.

Young African Football Players Are a Hot Commodity in Europe | Impact Lab

Schools like the one in Bamako train the players which professional clubs in Europe have expressed an interest in.

Young African Football Players Are a Hot Commodity in Europe | Impact Lab

Last week, experts from North African countries and their G8 counterparts met in Bamako to discuss boosting counter-terrorism cooperation in the region.

Morocco says Dismantled International Drug Trafficking Ring Linked to Terrorists

In preparation for this year, Bus Number 7 have already established links with a school in Bamako that they visited the year before, and for which they aim to raise funds to buy sports equipment and teaching supplies.

A Bendy Bus To Cross The Sahara | Impact Lab

Last year some local kids came up to us in Bamako and explained that they were collecting donations for their football team.

A Bendy Bus To Cross The Sahara | Impact Lab

“I have a clean conscience,” says Guillou, speaking on the balcony of his school in Bamako.

Young African Football Players Are a Hot Commodity in Europe | Impact Lab