![\"Christian](\"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/128976824_atsu_children_smiling-696x392.jpg\" "\\"Christian")
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The head of an orphanage supported by Christian Atsu has revealed how children there used to call the Ghana midfielder \u2018father\u2019.<\/p>\n
The 31-year-old, who had been playing for Turkish side Hatayspor, lost his life in February\u2019s earthquakes that devastated parts of the country.<\/p>\n
His body was pulled from the rubble on 18 February, nearly two weeks after the quakes.<\/p>\n
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A week-long traditional mourning period for Atsu has now ended ahead of his state funeral which will be held on 17 March.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe were praying and hoping that he would come (out) alive,\u201d said Seth Asiedu, director of charity Becky\u2019s Foundation, when speaking to the BBC\u2019s Africa Daily podcast.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen the news came, it was like a funeral day. The children are very, very down.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have a lot of counselling sessions for them to try and overcome the pain.\u201d<\/p>\n
Since Atsu\u2019s death, much has been made of the former Porto, Newcastle and Everton midfielder\u2019s charity work.<\/p>\n
His work with Becky\u2019s Foundation was helping to turn a children\u2019s home in the Ghanaian coastal town of Senya Beraku into a school.<\/p>\n
\u201cA pillar of support is gone,\u201d continued Asiedu, as he discussed Atsu\u2019s involvement, which included providing money, food, clothing and more.<\/p>\n
\u201cI term it as a full package \u2013 from education, provision of learning material, school uniforms, all the necessary things they need to study with.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd then with water and sanitation. He came to drill a borehole for us, help us with filters so it can be drinkable.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe brought solar panels to help with electricity.
\u201cHe brought a big television set and asked them to use it any time he is playing.\u201d<\/p>\n
And Atsu, who represented Ghana 65 times, scoring 10 goals, didn\u2019t just send support from overseas \u2013 he was also a regular visitor.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen he got here it was like a festival,\u201d added Asiedu, who often used to keep the visits secret from the children.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen he got out of his car, all the children ran and jumped on him. Sometimes they wanted to tear him apart and pull him down. The strength of the children would outweigh him and he himself felt very happy.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThey called him an uncle, some called him father. \u201cAnytime he saw children who were going through the same ordeal he felt like helping them.\u201d<\/p>\n Indeed, part of Atsu\u2019s support involved a plan to construct a seven-a-side pitch at the orphanage.<\/p>\n Whether that dream becomes a reality remains to be seen; Asiedu has concerns about what will happen now that Atsu\u2019s monthly donations cannot be relied upon.<\/p>\n \u201c(He was) a man of few words but he was very proactive. He said \u2018I\u2019ll do this\u2019 and he made sure he did it.<\/p>\n \u201cThe work I\u2019m doing with my team in Ghana is not an easy task, so when you have someone like Atsu coming to join forces with you, and the person leaves like that, it creates a very big vacuum.<\/p>\n \u201cI have lost a brother. Ghana has lost a great star.<\/p>\n \u201cHe always opened his arms.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n
\u201cHe didn\u2019t have life so easy (when he was young). When he wanted to play soccer, he didn\u2019t have boots or jerseys.<\/p>\n