My beloved son was killed by gunshot whilst he was on holiday in Portugal. I remember receiving a call early hours in the morning by his father, telling me that our son was shot. In that moment my heart had left my body. I screamed so loud that all my neighbours came out wondering what had happened.

My only son was just gone and I wasn’t there with him to help him, to hug him, to let him know how much I loved him.

The only thing I could do at the moment, was to fly over to Portugal and bring my son back to London where he was born and lived for 21 years. We gave him a beautiful send off. Now we have to learn how to live without the person we loved from the moment he was born. I don’t think it will ever get better but I believe and pray it will get easier.

“No parent deserves to bury their kids, our children should bury us in old age”

Joshua had so much to live for, he had so much ambition and plans, and it was just taken from him due to crime. This is why I was led to start this foundation. Keeping his memory alive will help us to stay strong mentally.

This page has been created in memory of our son, brother, nephew, cousin, and friend JOSHUA FARIA TEIXEIRA. 

“We stand against violence and want to create a safe space for under privileged children to develop skills and to give them equal opportunity through sports, every child deserves that!” 

Life With Joshua Foundation

Life with Joshua Foundation is an organization in honor of Joshua Faria Teixeira. It focuses on helping children in Guinea-Bissau to reach their dreams through sports. Joshua was murdered on September 04, 2022. He loved sports while growing up having been introduced to football, gymnastics, swimming, ju-jitsu, taekwondo and boxing at a young age. Besides, he supported Arsenal and later Manchester City, and played soccer as a striker for a football club at the Paddington Recreation ground for many years.

THE PROBLEM

Most children in Guinea Bissau spend their free time practicing soccer on unsafe grounds in dirty street, and use any open space as a soccer field.

Children are playing football without suitable sports kits and some even wear slippers. They practice on unsafe grounds such as dirty streets where cars pass by, footballs go into the gutter, which puts their safety further at risk. There is a lack of adult supervision, as they are not hydrated and nutritionally well to withstand the scorching heat whilst playing foortball. When balls are not available, children will roll up old clothing or almost anything else to make a ball. This is not right!

OUR SOLUTION

Many nonprofits have looked at these children’s barefoot soccer games, and have attempted to address the issues through handouts. Life with Joshua Foundation has found that long-term investments have a much greater impact than those short-term handouts, as children need an opportunity not charity.

The foundation will offer a safer football pitch for children to practice and play soccer. Practicing in a well manicured football pitch under the guidance of a coach and proper sports kits. This shall build the confidence and self-esteem of children in Guinea Bissau, as they will be in a safe place and assured of opportunities for a better future through the foundation’s pathways towards professional football and scholarships. They shall be able to avoid life of crime and accidents associated with playing soccer in unsafe unclean streets.

JBOOGZ Chess Club will offer a safe environment for children to learn and play chess under the guidance of an instructor. They will gain the social benefit of connecting with others and have a better understanding of how to approach life as chess is a game of planning, solving problems, critical thinking, creativity, the use of logic as well as discipline and focus.

Joshua was a people’s person and his positive energy was felt by people around him including his cousins and friends. He loved to give to the less fortunate, and in return, people loved him in a special way. Although he is not with us here today, his spirit still lives on as many children will be impacted by sports through the foundation created within his name.

Our Plans

We’re planning to implement a sports centre on a plot of land in Guinea Bissau, which had been bought by Joshua himself! The foundation will provide an opportunity for children to take part within football, table tennis, gymnastics athletics and chess

*Please note this is not the final proposed plan for the sports centre *

The aim is to help the children in Guinea Bissau and provide pathways to professional football, schsolarships for playing within the European & Worldwide leagues. Teach them life skills and to assure them they are not alone, there is hope for a better future.

Together with the help of our supporters we will be able to provide the kids with football kits and boots, they will no longer have to play football barefooted. This will be a major change within their lives, a positive change, something that many have already given up on. This is why this Foundation is so important.

All progresses will be updated on our social media platforms:

Instagram @LifeWithJoshuaFoundation

TikTok @LWJfoundation

Facebook @LifeWithJoshuaFoundation

To get in contact please email - lifewithjoshuafoundation@gmail.com

Thank You in advance…

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