The Serie A club’s social media campaign has helped with the return of the children to their family members
An eight-year-old Kenyan girl featured in a video announcing Chris Smalling’s move to Roma has been found safe and well as she became the fourth child to be rescued as part of the club’s social media initiative.
The Serie A side tweeted the news today following the latest success story in a campaign which links transfer moves alongside pictures of missing children.
Smalling, who joined Roma on loan from Manchester United at the end of August, tweeted his delight at hearing the development, adding in another tweet: “As a father it makes me so happy to see that this young girl from my announcement video has been reunited with her loved ones.
“Hopefully we can help a lot more children find their rightful homes.”
The initial post from Roma read: “A fourth missing child has been found! #ASRoma have today been informed that an eight-year-old Kenyan girl featured in the Chris Smalling transfer announcement video has been found safe.”
On Sunday, the 13-year-old boy featured on Henrikh Mkhitaryan’s video following his loan switch from Arsenal was also found unharmed.
The appeals have so far proved hugely successful with four youngsters in total having been found and re-united with loved ones.
Last month, a 15-year-old girl from London was found safe and well six days after featuring in a Roma video to announce the arrival of new signing Mert Cetin from Turkish side Genclerbirligi.
🛑A fourth missing child has been found! 🛑#ASRoma have today been informed by @missingchild_ke that an 8-year-old Kenyan girl featured in the @ChrisSmalling transfer announcement video has been found safe.
On Sunday, another Kenyan child, a 13-year-old boy was also found safe pic.twitter.com/CnQOmkuhEU
— AS Roma English (@ASRomaEN) September 17, 2019
The club have partnered with missing child charities National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and Telefono Azzurro, for the online campaign.
“We want to use the viral nature of social media transfer announcements to help raise awareness for missing children,” Roma’s head of strategy Paul Rogers had told the club’s official website.
“We have a massive social media following and our announcements generate incredible reach and awareness, all over the world.”
Smalling had not made an appearance for Manchester United this season and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was content to lose him after the signing of Harry Maguire left the club with too many central defenders.
The England centre-back, who is contracted to the Red Devils until 2022 with an option for a further year, had fallen down the pecking order under Solskjaer, with Maguire and Victor Lindelof his preferred partnership thus far this season.
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