18 Months at Za'atari Refugee Camp

More than 18 months on and our Field Programmes Team are back at the Za'atari Refugee Camp to check on the progress of the Nittaku Dream Building With Refugees project.

Za'atari Refugee Camp: home to almost 80,000 refugees with more than 50% under the age of 18. In 2018, we commenced Table Tennis sessions in 5 centres across the camps 12 districts. The projects started with a coach training session for refugees residing in the camp. From the training 2 coaches were identified to run the weekly sessions and we have been in close collaboration with them since, sending experts to work with them on a regular basis. Now, more than a year after the launch, we wanted to monitor our project and identify our learnings, would our expectations be met, exceeded or is there anything we can improve and optimize on-site. We were delighted to discover the equipment is being utilised daily and the centres full of motivated and passionate children of all ages. Our coaches work with endurance and passion to motivate the children. But above all its not only sport being trained daily, social and interpersonal development is a key aspect of the programme. We feel it locally, the Table Tennis community is like a big family.

Of course, there are things we can improve on-site. A local female coach is currently being trained to encourage and inspire more young girls to participate regularly in Table Tennis sessions.

Furthermore, here on-site we are discussing ways of integrating children with disabilities into the sessions. Table Tennis is a good tool and approach in creating and promoting an inclusive community. Equality and inclusion are an important part of the project.

The mission of our ITTF Foundation: Solidarity through Table Tennis! In Za’atari Refugee Camp, we support and #StepWithRefugees.

 

The project is supported by the Agitos Foundation and is part of the Live Together Programme led by Peace and Sport.

#Peace&Sport #AgitosFoundation

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