by Jia Li, ITTF Foundation Communication Coordinator
Basilan Table Tennis Enthusiasm Association
Located in Isabela City, Philippines, Basilan Table Tennis Enthusiasm Association (BasTTEA) supports young players in the region and promotes solidarity through table tennis. Before Covid-19, the club was running the programme “War of Balls, not Bullets” to celebrate the peace-making aspect of table tennis and to keep the young population off the streets.
“We wish to keep children away from danger and at school with the programme. Education is important and we want our future generation to have better opportunities.” Ayoma Jayder Emam, President of Basilan Table Tennis Enthusiasm Association
The programme had to take a long pause during to the pandemic and at some point, it seemed impossible to restart again due to financial constraints and limited resources. With the #TableTennisUnited Fund, BasTTEA has upgraded the club’s capacity with new tables, balls and even a free table tennis clinic to serve the local table tennis community.
“We have also launched a tournament with 27 players. We are happy to see all our programmes are now back in running thanks to the support of #TableTennisUnited Fund.”
Effutu Table Tennis Club
“In Africa, children who love sports do not want to go to school. At my club, I have been able to use table tennis to influence them to go to school.” Francis Owusu-Mensah, Effutu Table Tennis Club
The Effutu Table Tennis Club boats many missions. The Ghana based club aims to use table tennis to develop the community of Winneba, to keep the children at school, as well as to seed future professional table tennis athletes of the country.
“We have a rule at the club that the children that do not go to school cannot play table tennis nor join the club. I know these children. They love table tennis so much and they all want to play and improve their skills. This is how I make sure they go to school.”
We are happy to share that with the equipment donation from the #TableTennisUnited Fund, the club is now able to reach more children in the region, teach them the beauty of table tennis, and keep them safe at school, away from street lives.
Read about our generous donor DHS supporting #TableTennisUnited Fund.
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