05:00, 21 March 2025
Words by Cheyanne Bryan, Editorial and Campaign Marketing Executive, London
Annabel Kiki named as the Champion of Change at the Smiley Charity Film Awards ceremony 2025.
Based on her impressive determination and football stats Annabel Kiki is the top female amputee footballer in the world!
Last November, we followed the England Women’s Amputee Football Team at the 2024 World Cup in Colombia, where they placed 5th in the competition. The journey to getting to the World Cup was nothing short of admirable as they managed to raise £50,000 via their gofundme page to take them to South America for the Cup.
The Smiley Champion of Change Award recognised individuals making a significant positive impact in their work, particularly those who champion positive change and solutions.
Outside of football, Annabel kiki helps others going through cancer treatment or limb loss. At the age of 13, she was diagnosed with a tumour in her left leg which resulted in that leg being amputated. Since then she has strived to continue on with making sure she is able to keep up with her active lifestyle and achieve what she wants.
She has worked with various charities such as the Bone Cancer Research Trust where she will head the 'Ever Heard of Bone Cancer?' campaign to raise awareness of a condition which is often misdiagnosed and commonly affects children and young adults under 20 years of age.
This makes her the second recipient of the awards following Nada Al-Ahdal at last year’s event for recognition of her work empowering and educating girls while working to end child marriage.
You can our film for announcing Annabel Kiki as the champion of change below:
At Smiley Movement, we like to elevate the work of charities across the world. Here are three charities whose causes align with the themes in this article.
England Amputee Football Association. This charity is the governing body for amputee football in England, promoting the sport and supporting national teams for men, women, and youth players with limb loss or limb difference. Find out more.
Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC). This cUK government body that funds research in the arts, humanities, and cultural heritage to enhance understanding and support innovation in these fields. Learn more here.
Limbless Association. This charity has been supporting amputees since 1983, working to provide physical and wellbeing support to people along their amputee journey. Support them here.
