Every year, the lack of basic needs forces thousands of children from developing countries to drop out of school. With no employable skills, many of them end up poor, like their parents before them. The situation is worse for orphans with no one to care for them. These children roam the streets, maybe even turning to petty crime to get their next meal. Life on the streets will invariably end in drug use, permanent injury, or death or all three.

Retired Ghanaian-born German footballer Michael Kwame Adade is doing his part to help the situation for some children in Ghana. For the 26-year-old, every child’s life is important, whether or not they have a family of their own. Whenever he returns to his home village in Ghana, the situation on the ground just reinforces his belief. He knows he is blessed to have had the privilege of growing up in better circumstances and that motivates him to give back.

Michael was born in the Brong Ahafo region of Ghana, but he was raised in Germany. His love for football kicked in early, and he grew up admiring the game. Later, he followed that passion and started pursuing a career in football. He enrolled in a football academy and became a player for the Bayern Munich Youth Team. As a professional footballer, Michael went on to play for the 1860 Rosenheim youth and the 1860 Munich third teams. He was recognized as the best player in both cases.

Michael’s dedication to football is well known. At one point, he played in a tournament organized by Bayern Munich, even though he was injured. Football was his life, and he was dedicated to being the best player he could be. Unfortunately, that was not to be. After giving it his all, he suffered a career-ending injury and had to quit.

Besides football, Michael’s other big love is philanthropy, and that’s what he turned to. With the dedication of a pro athlete, he embarked on the task of building his not-for-profit Obdachlosenhilfe, which loosely translates to “help the homeless.” Every winter, Michael and his co-founder help 80-100 homeless people by providing warm food, jackets, and blankets.

And now, he has turned his eyes to his hometown in the heart of Ghana. Michael’s focus is to help the homeless children get access to quality education that will change their lives. His target is the area stretching from Accra to Bechem. Michael believes these children, given the chance, have the potential to positively impact the world. He is attempting to do whatever he can to empower them.

Michael’s vision of the project is to see an improvement in the lives of homeless children. An entrepreneur with a thriving business, Michael knows how to work hard to make his dreams a reality. He says, “Every dream is possible if one believes in oneself and is determined.” He is also not a stranger to setbacks, doubts, and criticism. However, he believes in his cause and is ready to persevere until he achieves his goal. Just as he did in football, he plans to keep pushing until he changes the lives of the homeless children in Ghana.