Join Us for a Talk with Ex-NFL Star Madieu Williams on Sun. 2/4 at 8pm ET
Michael Lee
Hi FOSL members,
From NFL football player to hands-on philanthropist, we are excited to announce that Sierra Leonean Madieu Williams will join us via Zoom on Sunday, February 4th at 8pm ET to discuss his incredible projects throughout Sierra Leone supported by the Madieu Williams Foundation, including the Abigail D. Butscher Primary School in Calaba Town, named after his late mother.
Join us for this free Zoom talk to learn more about how this NFL star dedicates so much of his time and efforts into helping those in need throughout Sierra Leone.
You must pre-register for the February 4th Zoom talk. After you register, you will receive an email with the link to join the Zoom. Save that email!
Link to Pre-Register:
https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJAscOytqT4qHdWttZNUwNL1jyo9EUTwZRRJ
This is going to be a wonderful talk and we hope you can make it on February 4th! Below you will find a brief biography of Madieu Williams.
See you then! If you have any questions, please reach out: in...@fosalone.org
Michael Lee
President
Friends of Sierra Leone
Email: in...@fosalone.org
Madieu Williams Biography
Madieu’s journey begins in Freetown, Sierra Leone, where he was born and raised for his first few years. At the age of 8, Madieu and his family moved to the United States, relocating to Maryland. Under the watchful eye of his mother, Madieu went on to excel in the classroom and in athletics. His effort resulted in the opportunity for a college education and collegiate football career. After a stint at Towson University, Madieu transferred to the University of Maryland, where he graduated in 2003 earning a degree in Family Science. At University of Maryland he interned at the National Institutes of Health and starred on the gridiron earning honors. In 2004, Williams’s efforts resulted in being drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals in the second-round of the NFL Draft. During his nine year career, Madieu spent his first four years in Cincinnati before moving onto the Minnesota Vikings for three seasons and playing two, one-year stints with the San Francisco 49ers and Washington Redskins as a perennial starter for each.
In 2006, he established the Madieu Williams Foundation in 2006. Fulfilling a promise to his late mother to help those in need, the Madieu Williams Foundation focuses on education, health, and wellness for underprivileged youth both in the United States and in Sierra Leone. Beginning in Cincinnati, the foundation has followed Madieu throughout his career to the different cities in which he has played. Free football clinics, health screening and playground builds are among the projects he undertook in Cincinnati. In Minnesota, Williams focused on the academic and life skills for the North Minneapolis program, working with 20 eighth-grade students throughout the season.
Throughout this time Madieu did not forget about his commitment to the people of Sierra Leone, among the poorest and underserved in Africa. In March 2009, Madieu traveled back to his hometown of Freetown, Sierra Leone for the opening of the Abigail D. Butscher Primary School. The school is located in Calaba Town, one of the poorest areas of Freetown and is the first of its kind in that community. The community has grown around the school as it has become its cornerstone.
In June 2010, Madieu sponsored a Medical, Dental and Educational mission trip to Sierra Leone by taking over 40 professionals to Calaba Town including surgeons, dentists, nurses and teachers. The mission trip brought much needed medical attention and supplies to those in need. Every June since then the Madieu Williams Foundation sponsors a mission trip, with over $2 million worth of donated medical and school supplies along with volunteers. Madieu continues to strengthen his commitment by partnering with University of Maryland’s School of Engineering to install solar panels on the primary school which was completed in 2012. Moving forward a secondary school will begin construction in 2013 and a water infrastructure will be built.
Madieu has received many prestigious awards and accolades for his service to the community and to Sierra Leone. He won the NFL’s Man of the Year award in 2010 and has been recognized by the embassy of Sierra Leone as a distinguished citizen among other awards.
Madieu earned his Master’s in Business Administration in 2013 and serves as a representative for the NFL Players Association. Recently, Madieu graduated from University of Baltimore School of Law with his Juris Doctorate Degree.
