Paradise News

Tag: CSED

  • WTTD 2025: Ogoja rules the waves in Nigeria

    WTTD 2025: Ogoja rules the waves in Nigeria

    By Frank Ulom

    As part of the events marking the global celebration of World Table Tennis Day (WTTD) on 23rd April 2025, the town of Ogoja ensured that Nigeria joined the ITTF table family in celebrating this grassroots awareness event. Thanks to the generosity and hospitality of the people of Ogoja, Nigeria was represented by members of the Cameroonian refugee community and members of the Adagom 3 community of Ogoja. As one of their own, Solange Ngonda Tibesa a Cameroonian was one of the 30 WTTD 2025 global promoters.

    For Solange who was heavily supported by the ITTF, UNHCR, the Refugee Organisations Network (RON), SEMA of Cross Rivers State, and CSED (Community Sports and Educational Development) Initiative, it was a dream come through for her to see that all the efforts she put in to ensure a successful event has eventually come to a successful reality.

    The event which was held at the Adagom 3 playground was attended by several distinguished guests including, a representative of UNHCR (Mrs. Annick Nahimana), royal fathers and tribal leaders of Ogoja, the Divisional Police Officer (D.P.O.) of Ogoja, a representative of Nigeria Immigration Service, a representative of NCFRMI, persons with disabilities, women’s groups, and the representatives of the sports committees of the three refugee camps in Ogoja.

    There were pre-event advocacy rally/health talks, traditional dancers representing the host Ogoja community and the Cameroonian refugee community. As well as, the usual display of table tennis skills by both male and female players. Buba and wrapper tennis playing women amazed the large crowd.

    In her address to the over one thousand attendees of the event, the head of the UNHCR Office in Ogoja, Mrs. Annick Nahimana commended the event organisers for their efforts in using table tennis to bring people together. She urged the community to support Solange and she promised that those with creative minds like her would always have the backing of the UNHCR. Especially in supporting educational and pro-social activities/projects that promote peaceful co-existence between Cameroonian refugees and the indigenes of Ogoja.

    Moving forward, Solange who is also a netball coach, promised to work with the relevant community groups and NGO in sustaining the growth of table tennis and other sports among Cameroonian refugees and members of the host community.

  • Dolphin Cricket Foundation and CSED Initiative Hold Village Cricket Tournament

    A two-day Invitational Cricket tournament was recently held among four secondary schools in Benin City. The competition was organised by Dolphin Cricket Foundation in collaboration with Community Sports and Educational Development (CSED) Initiative. The event which was held at the premises of IDPs Uhogua was meant for cricketers below the age of 12 years old. It witnessed upcoming cricketers exhibiting various skills as they expressed themselves with excitement.

    The competition followed a round-robin format, where all schools played against each other. This structure gave the students more game time and opportunities to showcase their skills. Each match was played in a 5-over format, ensuring that all games were completed within the time limit.

    The four schools that took part in the tournament were:

    1. Christlike Schools Uhogua (host).
    2. Okhunwun Junior Secondary School.
    3. Iguadolor Secondary School.
    4. Beacon of Success School.

    At the end of the competition, Christlike School emerged as champions, winning all three of their matches. The other three schools each won one game but lost to Christlike School. To determine the second and third positions, aggregate scores were used. After collation, the final rankings were as follows:

    First place: Christlike Schools (3 wins).
    Second place: Beacon of Success School.
    Third place: Iguadolor Secondary School.
    Fourth place: Okhunwun Junior Secondary School.

    The girls also had an opportunity to participate, as Okhunwun Junior Secondary School female team played a match against the Christlike School female team. Christlike School won the game.

    At the end of the competition, cash awards were presented to the winners in the first, second and third positions. The cricket equipment and kits that were used in training students of the four participating schools were donated by Lord’s Taverners, a UK based sports recycling charity.

    The participating cricketers, tournament officials and the authorities of the participating school are of the view that the tournament was a great success. As it provided the young students a foretaste of what match day cricket is. It also provided the tournament organisers the opportunity of promoting cricket at the grassroots level, as the participating schools were based at the outskirt of Benin City – village cricket. Furthermore, it provided the young cricketers a platform to showcase their talent and put into practice some of the knowledge that they have learned from coach Cyril Musa, who is also a UNIBEN social work graduate.

    It would be recalled that at the recently concluded T20 U-19 Female Cricket World Cup that was held in Malaysia, nine of the players were cricketers from Edo State. As a result, the Edo State Cricket Association and the Edo State Sport Commission have to ensure that they provide P.E. Teachers in cricket playing schools the required basic training to develop their understanding of the game, as well as map out a clear career pathway for them to combine classroom teaching with playing the role of community coaches in rural areas. It is hoped that some of the cricketers in this tournament will be able to transition into cricketers that will represent Nigeria in future at the junior and senior levels.

  • Edo Sports Commission, BFN Hold Badminton Training in Uzarue

    The Edo Sports Commission and the Badminton Federation of Nigeria (BFN) recently (27 and 28 February 2025) held a two-day badminton training for games masters/mistresses in Uzarue, in Etsako West Local Government Area of Edo State. The event which was held at the premises of St Angelas Girls Grammar School Uzarue was attended by 21 teachers and 84 students from 21 secondary schools in Etsako land, as well as secondary schools from Igarra, Afuze and Ikpeshi.

    The unique thing about this grassroots badminton training is that it provides teachers and students the opportunity to learn the basics of a sport together at the same time. The training involved the theoretical aspect of the game and more importantly the practical area of badminton. The training was conducted by three qualified “Shuttle Time” trainers, Godswill Afejika, Olalekan, Fajimiyo, and Blessing Osayomwanbo. The trainees were taught shaped grip and the thumb grip. There was also court work with balloons. Balloons were used for services and smashing drills.

    On the second day of the training event, the three trainers held a session with the games masters/mistresses. This was followed by a session with the students. The games masters/mistresses were taught the technical aspect of badminton which involves officiating, rules of the game, safeguarding, and the roles of the games masters/mistress in developing the game in their various schools. The students had their practical session on basic badminton grips, strokes, footwork and the rules of the games with the use of balloons.

    The training event which was bankrolled by Edo State Sports Commission with the technical support of the Badminton Federation of Nigeria (BFN) was powered by CSED (Community Sport and Educational Development) Initiative. The event is a reflection of what can be achieved at the grassroots level if government agencies (education, sport and health), sporting federations/associations and the third sector (NGOs and private individuals) collaborate to share knowledge and resources in order to use access to sports to build the capacity of teachers and students. At the end of the training event, free basic badminton equipment (nets, rackets and shuttlecocks) were distributed to the 21 schools in order to support the learning and practicing of the students and their teachers in their various schools.

    Since the current Board Members of the BFN assumed office, they have worked hard to attract the support of different organisations and sponsors in their attempt to attract new and young players to the game of badminton. This they have done by organizing “Shuttle Time” training as well as “badminton outreach training in the six geo-political zones of Nigeria, through the BFN partnership with CSED Initiative. It is hoped that other sports federation would emulate the grassroots developmental effort of the Badminton Federation of Nigeria, who have also taken the game to at risk groups (IDPs and asylum seekers) in Nigeria.

  • CSED Takes Netball ‘Project 2027’ Training to Port Harcourt

    One of Nigeria’s leading sports for change NGO, CSED (Community Sport and Educational Development) Initiative recently (26 and 27 February 2025) held a two-day seminar on netball for P.E. Teachers in Port Harcourt (Rivers State). The training was held in collaboration with the Airforce Secondary School Airforce Base Rumuomasi, Port-Harcourt, was held at the school premises.

    This training is part of “Project 2027,” which is CSED Initiative quest to provide Nigerian school children and youths access to learn and play the game of netball in a safe space. Netball is the only sport in the world that is specifically designed for girls and women. CSED Initiative sees the game of netball as an important tool that could be used to promote the general health and well-being of the girl child, as well as empower them to blend sport with their academic pursuit. However, in line with Netball World goal of promoting the inclusivity of the game, two secondary schools in Nigeria, Tare Pet School Yenagoa and C.S.C.S. Itam currently have boys’ netball teams, alongside their female netball team.

    35 participants from various secondary schools including the Nigeria Navy secondary, Army Day Secondary School, private and public secondary schools, in the city, as well as two Cameroonian refugees who represented the Cameroonian community that are based in Adagom 3, Camp in Ogoja local government area. The training was facilitated by coaches Edema Fuludu, Funsho Ekundayo and Onome Fuludu. These coaches were supported by Deborah Bakari (a University of Benin Student) who has been playing netball in the past four years in Uhoghua (Benin City). Some volunteers like Gold Dappa-Wogu also benefited from this free netball training that uses a training manual that was developed by Ambassador Mary Waya (a Netball Africa certified instructor).

    The trained netball coaches were provided with free T-shirts that were donated by Lord’s Taverners (a UK based charity).

    The newly trained coaches were first taught the importance of safeguarding and safety in the sports environment which was covered by coach Onome Fuludu a graduate of Guidance and Counselling, who is also a qualified safeguarding practitioner. His presentation focused on the importance of sporting and educational authorities ensuring that students and athletes are supported to take part in sports in a safe environment. The new netball coaches were also provided with additional access to free online safeguarding training.

    This was followed by the basics of the game, netball rules, applications of the rules, how to mark a netball court, the different netball positions, as well as the roles that are attached to these positions. Warming-up, passing the ball, throwing the ball, the restriction of the movement of players in certain parts of the netball court, practicing of how to throw the ball and how to score were also covered. This was then followed by a practice game between the new coaches who were divided into team blue and team purple.

    The Commandant of the Airforce Secondary School, Port Harcourt, Wing Commander Nasir Adamu who was instrumental in bringing CSED Initiative to Port Harcourt stated that he was very pleased to see an NGO who has passion for carrying out developmental and empowerment programmes that are targeted at the girl child. He urged the participants to take advantage of the training and become reliable coaches in a sport that is being revived in Nigeria. He also stated that he will visit the schools to monitor progress and use of the freely donated netball starter packs (a pair of netball rims/nets. finger held whistles, two sets of netball training bibs, and netball balls) to the representatives of the participating schools.

    CSED National Coordinator, Edema Fuludu used the opportunity to inform participants that the game will soon become a National Sports Festival event and urged them to be serious and as enthusiastic as they have exhibited during the two days training event. The new netball coaches take the number of trained netball coaches under “Project 2027” by CSED Initiative to 411.

  • C.S.C.S. Itam and Iyoba College Welcome Cricket Heroines

    Three members of the record making Nigerian U-19 female cricket team were recently hosted by the staff and students of their secondary schools in Uyo and Benin City. Deborah Bassey and Inyene Umoh were received by a rousing crowd of fellow students of Community Secondary Commercial School (C.S.C.S.) Ibiaku Itam in Uyo. Both students were received in a guard of honour that was mounted by players of the school cricket and netball teams. As Inyene is also a member of the school netball team and she started playing cricket two years ago. Both students could not hide their delight for the V.I.P. welcome they received from their fellow students and management of the school.

    The school Principal, Mrs Mary Okon and Mr Ifiok Imin praised the two students for being good ambassadors of the school that has in the past few years dominated different secondary school competitions in Akwa Ibom State. The assistant coach of the Nigerian U-19 female cricket team, Blessing Etim also graced the occasion, which she thinks will encourage more students of the school to either try to learn how to play cricket or try other sports like netball, rugby, football, athletics and American flag football that are played in the school.

    To add icing to the celebration cake, C.S.C.S. won the Mrs Alice Imaria Ehimiaghe award for using sports to engage and empower their more than 2000 students. The prize of 150 thousand naira was given to the school management. The two cricketers were given a token of 20 thousand naira by the event organisers, CSED Initiative.

    At Iyoba College in Benin City, the cricketer Adeshola Adekunle was also warmly received at the assembly ground of Iyoba College. Adeshola was commended by the school management for doing their school proud in Malaysia. Iyoba College was awarded the Mrs Alice Imaria Ehimiaghe award for using sports to build the character and learning experiences of their students. Students of the college take part in netball, football, badminton, athletics and cricket, where they recently won the Elizabeth Osato Edebiri memorial cricket tournament for girls in Benin City.

    The school also received the sum of 150 thousand Naira which they pledge would be used in buying basic sports kits that will be used by their students in preparation for their forthcoming inter-house sports event and future secondary schools’ competitions. Both schools have a dedicated cricket ground with practice nets. Iyoba College has a small cricket stand, while current construction work at the cricket spectator stand of C.S.C.S. is to be completed soon.

    Both schools have benefitted immensely from the “catch them young” grassroots development programmes of the current Board of the Nigeria Cricket Federation (NCF), which has also used cricket to provide psycho-social support to residents of some IDPs and refugee camps in Nigeria. Apart from investing in the development of the sporting talents of the cricketers, NCF through its President, Uyi Akpata has also supported the cricketers in accessing further education in various universities in Nigeria by providing them with scholarship and maintenance grants.

  • IDPs Uhogua Camp wins Mary Waya Award

    The children and youths of IDPs Uhogua (Benin City) Camp recently won the maiden edition of the Mary Waya award. This award which is named after Mary Waya, the current co-coach of the Malawi national netball team is to honour her for defying the outbreak of COVID-19 and taking the risk to come to Nigeria in 2020 to train and certify 24 Nigerians as qualified Netball Africa coaches. A statement by the Trustees of CSED Initiative stated that the target of the Mary Waya award is to recognise the efforts put in by organisations and group of persons who use the power of sport to overcome tough life circumstances that are beyond their control.

    Fast forward to 2025, Mary Waya’s act of selflessness has led to CSED Initiative the netball pacesetters in Nigeria, training and equipping more than 370 P.E. Teachers and community youths for free. This has been done through their “Project 2027” programme that aims at bringing netball to the attention of one million Nigerian school girls. The work of Mary Waya has also led to CSED Initiative piloting the “Sporting Coders” project, a programme that will enable some selected Nigerian secondary school girls to combine playing the sport they enjoy, with learning how to code or improving their computing skills.

    Though netball is specifically a sport that is designed for girls and women, the current goal of World Netball is to make the sport an inclusive game that should be enjoyed by everyone irrespective of their gender. CSED Initiative with the support of kits donated by Lord’s Taverners is currently trialling boys in selected school in Nigeria playing the game of netball. The success of the netball team of Tare Pet School in Bayelsa State has triggered the interest of their male counterpart who have been training just before the end of last school year. As school male netball team look forward to gaining an upper hand over secondary schools like Oyemekun Grammar School Akure, C.S.C.S. Itam (Akwa Ibom State), Christlike School Benin City and University Secondary School, Nsukka who have netball coaches, and are currently in the process of considering raising a male netball team.

    Mary Waya commended the management of IDPs Uhogua for using the game of netball to support the emotional recovery of some of the residents of the camp that is made up mostly of Nigerians of northern extraction who are victims of the Boko Haram insurgence in the North-East States of Nigeria. The residents of the Uhogua IDPs camp also have a football and cricket team that take part in completions with other secondary schools in Benin City. The Mary Waya award gives the winner a one off 150-thousand-naira cash payment that should be used to support sports and educational activities of the winning school/community.

    In terms of academic attainment, the residents of the camp are also punching above their weight, as over 200 of them are currently studying in different universities in Nigeria. Last year, Amo Ishaku, a former resident of the camp who obtained a first-class bachelor’s of Engineering degree from the Edo State University Iyamho, was awarded a PhD scholarship by University of Illinois, Chicago (USA). While Amos Ishaku continues to strive for excellence in the United States, the educational pursuits of other residents of the camp is continually threatened by lack of funds to feed the residents properly, pay their school fees and meet just the basic needs of the more than four thousand residents of the camp.

    Some of the questions most Nigerians would want to ask are what role does the Federal, State and Local governments play in supporting vulnerable Nigerian citizens, especially the IDPs? Has the various cash transfer interventions of the Federal Government of Nigeria benefited the IDPs? Should a special intervention fund be set up to specifically support the IDPs? Should the Federal and State Governments not consider granting documented IDPs access to free education and vocational training? These are some of the pertinent questions that policy makers and the National assembly members should seriously consider.

    The Children’s Rights Act 2003 which is in operation in Nigeria does not specifically spell out the responsibilities of the three ties of government in supporting vulnerable Nigerians who are at risk of destitution, Especially IDPs as those who drafted the Act probably did not envisage a situation where mass displacement of persons is now a regular feature of living in Nigeria. As a result, social administrators and policy makers have to brainstorm on how to come up with fit for purpose policies that will make our law makers to consider amending the relevant sections of the CRA 2003, with a view of addressing the delicate issue of what role and what level of support should the three tiers of government play in meeting the basic needs of vulnerable Nigerians. Especially the IDPs.

  • Lord’s Taverners Donates Sports Kits to CSED Initiative

    By Frank Ulom

    UK based sports recycling charity, Lord’s Taverners recently donated sports kits and equipment worth over thirty million naira to CSED (Community Sport and educational Development) Initiative. The donated kits and equipment which weighed 998 kilogrammmes was warmly received by the Trustees of CSED Initiative. It would be recalled that since 2019, this is the fifth batch of sports kits donation that Lord’s Taverners have successfully donated to CSED Initiative. In total, CSED Initiative has received sports kits weighing over three thousand kilogrammes from Lord’s Taverners.

    Most of this batch of donated sport kits items are for cricket, netball, badminton, football, casual sportswear and tracksuits. Some of the prominent institutions that have benefitted from the kits that were donated by Lord’s Taverners in the past are Edo State Cricket Association, the cricket team of ABU Zaria, the cricket team of IDPs Uhogua, Cameroonian refugees in Ogoja (Cross River State). Furthermore, some selected schools in Delta, Edo, Akwa Ibom and Taraba States have benefitted from the free cricket kits that were donated by Lord’s Taverners to CSED Initiative.

    In a recent email correspondence between a Trustee of CSED Initiative, a Project Manager of Lord’s Taverners, a representative of the Nigeria Cricket Federation (NCF) acknowledged the role the kits that Lord’s Taverners donated to CSED Initiative played in the development of some of the cricketers who recently played in the Nigerian female cricket team at the recently completed T20, U-19 Cricket World Cup in Malaysia. Nine out of these fifteen cricketers are players from Edo State whose cricket Association received 250 kilogrammes of donated cricket kits from CSED Initiative in April 2019. Furthermore, CSED have also donated cricket items to a cricket project that has supported the development of the two cricketers from Akwa Ibom State who featured for Nigeria in the Malaysian tournament.

    During an interview with sports reporters, a representative of CSED Initiative stated that the new batch of donated equipment from Lord’s Taverners will enable them to empower three thousand children and youths in respect of supporting some of their basic sports kits needs. The donated kits will enable CSED Initiative to train three hundred P.E. Teachers in 2025. “So, it is going to be a win-win situation for grassroots sports.”

    However, CSED Initiative have been informed that the Lord’s Taverners sports kits recycling project is going to close in March 2025, as a result of financial constraint. The National Coordinator of CSED Initiative stated that this news was a huge shock to them, and the sports recycling community all over the world. As Lord’s Taverners has a global
    base of sports for change NGOs that they have supported in the past few decades. Though Lord’s Taverners was mainly set up as a cricket charity, it has over the years supported other sports at the grassroots level. “We in CSED Initiative, will forever remain grateful for the support we have received from Lord’s Taverners. Especially in respect of the sport of netball. As they have supported us with balls, bibs, netball jerseys, T-shirts and skirts. These donated netball kits gave us the courage to strive to revive the game of netball in Nigeria through our ongoing: “Project 2027” drive where we have trained and equipped more than three hundred and seventy P.E. Techers and community leaders.”

    While receiving the donated items in their Niger Delta base, the National Coordinator of CSED Initiative assured Dave Pemberton (Project Manager of Lord’s Taverners) that the sports kits will be distributed for free to selected schools and vulnerable community groups (IDPs and asylum seekers/refugees) they currently work with, as well as new sets of schools and communities who will be expected to put the donated kit into good use.

  • Francis Ibhawoh Foundation Holds Badminton Training in Uromi

    The Francis Ibhawoh Foundation recently held a secondary school badminton outreach training for games masters and mistresses in Uromi in Esan North East Local Government Area of Edo state.

    The event which was held in collaboration with the Badminton Federation of Nigeria (BFN), Edo State Ministry of Education, and Edo State Sports Commission was powered by CSED (Community Sport and Educational Development) Initiative.

    It was held at the indoor hall of Esan Model Grammar School on 22 and 23 January 2025.

    The two-day training event was attended by Physical Education Teachers from twenty-three secondary schools, as well as sixty-nine students, who learned the basics of the game of badminton under the close supervision of three “Shuttle Time” trained badminton coaches, Godswill Ifejika, Olalekan, Fajimiyo, and Blessing Osayomwanbo.

    The badminton outreach for secondary schools’ project is designed to teach games masters and mistresses and the students, the basic skills in Badminton. It is one of the rare training event in sports where students and their teachers learn a sport together at the same time.

    The game master of Irrua Girls Secondary School, Ambrose Okonofua in his remarks stated: “we were pleased with the training which has impacted positively on us and our students.

    The program has in the last two days engaged the minds of the students and I am confident of seeing world champions emerging from these badminton outreach training events in Nigeria in future.

    Also, one of the coaches, Olalekan Fajimiyo commended the schools for their massive turnout and their show of passion displayed adding that, it was one outreach with very high numbers of participants in attendance at the grassroots level.

    Declaring the event closed, the Commissioner of Education who was represented by the Principal of Ujoelen Grammar School, Ekpoma, commended the sponsors for their commitment towards the development of badminton in Edo State and the country in general.

    She also applauded the turnout of secondary schools and said that it is a reflection that Edo State is the hub of sports in Nigeria.

    She also thanked the Trustees of Francis Ibhawoh Foundation for bringing badminton to their door step. She expressed the hope that other prominent sons and daughters of Esanland will strive to bring pro-social activities that will have positive impact on the people of Esanland.

    The highlight of the outreach training was the presentation of basic badminton equipment (rackets, nets & shuttles) to all the twenty-three secondary schools that participated in the outreach training courtesy of Francis Ibhawoh Foundation and CSED Initiative.

    It would be recalled that in the past three years, Badminton Federation of Nigeria has embarked on using the outreach training and their Shuttle Time training to spread the development of the games in different towns and cities in Nigeria. This has made BFN to be the most students and teachers friendly sports Federation in Nigeria. As the BFN has also taken the game to IDPs Camp Uhogua and specifically trained asylum seekers/refugees on how to play badminton in Ogoja (Cross River State).

  • Netballers spice up UNN Secondary School inter-house sports event

    The University of Nigeria Secondary School, Nsukka recently completed her 17th
    biennial inter-house sports event. Six houses competed in events in different sports,
    which started on 6th November 2024. The grand final was held on 11th December 2024,
    at the premises of the forty-one years old school.

    The Chairman of the school Board of Governors, Professor F.A. Okwo commended the
    staff and students of the school for their efforts in hosting a successful inter-house
    competition, as well as stressing the important role sports play in the general well-being and health of students.

    For the first time in the history of the school, the game of netball was introduced by the
    school management that is led by Uche Adama. About seventy female students
    competed in the netball event which was the star attraction of this inter-house sports
    competition. It provided the young students with the opportunities to exhibit the
    knowledge and skills that they have learnt from Oluchi Ngwoke and their other P.E.
    Teachers.

    Red and Green Houses played in the final netball match which was won by Green
    House. Pink House beat Yellow House to claim the third position. Adaeze Chigbochieaha
    of Pink House was the best goal scorer of the netball event. Charles-Nnadi Chibundo of
    Yellow House beat Eze Miracle of Green House to emerge as the most valuable player in
    the netball competition.

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    Playing netball has generated a lot of excitement among the female students of the
    school, who have been thrilled at what they could do during the competition. The
    students learned so fast the rules and skills that are needed to excel in the game of
    netball.

    Given the level of progress the students netballers have made in a short period of time,
    CSED initiative has supported the introduction of netball to the school, which must
    consider working with the relevant authorities to introduce netball to other secondary
    schools in the Nsukka area.

    The Trustees of the CSED Initiative must also explore
    the opportunity to introduce their “Sporting Coders” programme to the University
    Secondary School Nsukka in 2025.

  • NGO marks Refugee Week, International Olympics Day in C’River Refugee Camp

    As part of the sports events marking Refugee Week 2024 and International Olympics Day 2024, a netball exhibition event involving netballers from Adagom 1, Adagom 3, and Ukende refugee camps was held at the netball field of Adagom 1 camp in Ogoja Local Government area of Cross River State.

    The event was organised by an NGO, CSED (Community Sport and Educational Development) Initiative, with the approval and support of the PM of SEMA, the Adagom 1 SEMA Supervisor, and the leaders of the three refugee camps.

    Twenty netballers from each camp were kitted by Lord’s Taverners and CSED Initiative. Each netballer was provided with a sports book (“Kick It”) that was donated by the Uxbridge Library of the London Borough of Hillingdon (UK). The netballers from the Ukende camp won the two exhibition games. The highlight of the event was the presentation of five thousand Naira, and educational vouchers to each of the sixty netballers.

    It would be recalled that netball was recently introduced to the three Ogoja refugee camps after CSED Initiative “Project 2027” training of P.E. teachers in Cross River state was held in April 2024.

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    The “Project 2027” training event led to the certification of coaches Stephanie Obi, Marceline Ode, and Shantel Eseh, who are Cameroonian citizens. These three coaches are now charged with the responsibility of providing the girls and ladies in their respective camps with access to learn the basics of netball, and identify, and nurture the talents of the budding netballers.

    CSED Initiative with the support of Lord’s Taverners, UNHCR, Cross River SEMA, and other relevant partners/stakeholders hopes to use access to playing netball to provide psycho-social support and access to educational/life skills training opportunities to the residents of the three camps.

    The immediate goal of the CSED Initiative is to build a multi-purpose cement playing surface for the use of the netballers in each of the separate camps. Furthermore, some of these netballers will have access to take part in the “Sporting Coders” programme, which will allow them access to learn how to code, while at the same time playing netball.

    The organisers of the event stated that their ultimate goal is to give the Cameroonian refugees a sporting chance to compete with other girls all over the world; in an attempt to feature in the netball event of the 2032 Olympic games in Brisbane. The Cameroonians will definitely be inspired by the story of Mary Cholhok Nuba, a former South Sudanese refugee, who is now a netball superstar in England.