Zikomo project is now fifth year, and 2021 is about to pass one-third. We would like to report on the progress of the activities so far as follows.
Musa Kambundu is preparing to take the General Certificate of Education (GCE) to complete his 12-year school education this year. Bluewood club coach Nathan Shilwe is also preparing to take the graduation exam, just like Musa. Both attend the same Matero Boys Secondary School.
Moses Tonga was the first player for the Back-to-School program, which began in 2017. After taking the GCE exam and successfully completing the school education, he had a short-term contract job at NOWSPAR during this time. In 2021, he determined to study business at a vocational school in Lusaka. Zikomo Project prepared a small amount of scholarship for the formation of a second career and decided to offer a scholarship for him. Since the budget was the same as the support for the Back-to-School program, we have just started support. On the other hand, the vocational school has three-year curriculum, so we will continue to support him so that he can complete the school with good results.
Pritchard Syakwayi, who graduated from GCE last fall, wants to study abroad in Japan. However, scholarship for the undergraduate study is extremely difficult. While considering studying abroad, we would like to support him obtain a qualification of personal trainer. Developing human resources is the basis of this project, so we would like to support his efforts so that he can have a job in his hand and live an independent life.
At the same time, one Kenyan handball player is being selected to support the acquisition of a personal trainer qualification. I hope that these efforts will become a single line from dots, and one day they will become a broad network and they can contribute to the development of the African sports world.
Blue Wood Handball Club, coach Nathan Silwe’s club, will be competing to Zambia National League in 2021. Visited Japan at the invitation of the Zikomo project, become a coach inspired by coach Yoshimura, and we fully support Nathan who started the club team. A wide range of club management is required, from balls and uniforms, registration to food supplements, but since it is a small club team that has just started up in a developing country, Zambia, the budget scale is not much big per year. We are also considering food supplement support during the league while exchanging opinions with Japanese nutritionists.
In addition, Nathan promotes handball in school and these activities are not only promoting handball in Zambia, but also development of new player and network formation. We wil continue to support it as an indispensable activity for future handball development. So far, we have supported activities for three local schools. In the future, we will make a detailed plan to develop a more strategic activity.
December 2021 marks the 5th anniversary of the Zikomo project. We are considering a concept to commemorate the 5th anniversary.
Lastly, this year we have also begun to support female track and field athlete Rhoda Njobvu. She broke the standard record for participation in the Tokyo Olympics in the 100m and 200m races and we provided spikes. She is expected to participate in the Tokyo Olympic Games. We would like to continue support her efforts to achieve her personal best at the Tokyo Olympics.
The Zikomo Project will continue to support African athletes and keep assist their efforts which they “do not end dreams with dreams.”
