by Neha Aggarwal
DTTB has been working with the ITTF since 2006 towards the development of the sport of table tennis. Germany has been funding the ITTF Equipment Packages Programme and DTTB has already done developmental projects with Burundi, Kongo, Djibouti, Namibia and Togo.
DTTB is proud to extend its support for three new projects in Ivory Coast for coaches and federations, in Kenya for structure of junior players and in Turkey for the Syrian Refugees.
Project one: Coaching Clinics in Ivory Coast
Implemented by DOSB in co-operation with the Federal Foreign Office (AA), a short-term coaching programme will be held in June 2017 under the guidance of the German expert Felix Schmidt-Arndt.
Coaching clinics will educate coaches to spread their knowledge of the game will be held. In addition, the German expert will offer consultation for the federation if requested. Moreover, courses for coaches dealing with the concept and the realization of training contents will take place.
Project two: Structure for the development of junior players in Kenya
A second project was held in Kenya from Monday 1st to Monday 15th May 2017 under the guidance of the German expert Martin Adomeit and was implemented by DOSB in cooperation with the Federal Foreign Office (AA).
The visit of Martin Adomeit followed that of Nigeria’s Segun Toriola last December, as Andrew Mudibo, the President of the Kenyan Table Tennis Association, pursues a policy to popularise table tennis; the aim being to attract 5,000 new players to the sport nation wide. Recently Michael Kuria attended a six month coach education course in Germany,
Three hour sessions were held each morning, some 15 coaches attended including Paul Mutambuze, former Olympian from Uganda. In the afternoon and evenings, junior players from eight to 15 years of age were present, with Martin Adomeit affording both technical and tactical advice.
“Here is a young generation with big possibilities; especially the girls. The motivation is high and now is it the job of the association to give the opportunities for good practice. If this can be done very soon a Kenyan player will compete in the Olympic Games.” Martin Adomeit
Project Three: Education programme for Syrian refugees in Turkey
From Saturday 13th to Friday 19th May, the DOSB in co-operation with the Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), on behalf of the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) organized a table tennis learning program for Syrian refugees in Turkey.
Conducted by Ahmed Dawlatly, ITTF Technical Expert, the main objectives of the workshop were to help enhance table tennis and communication skills as well as teaching the importance of ethics, teamwork and values through sport. Participants also received training on volunteerism and civic engagement in the context of working with refugees and on project management and fundraising. At the end of the course participants will be proficient to implement their own sport-based activities for children and young people.
With DTTB supporting such countries and promising even more projects in the future, the German Table Tennis Association has taken up some brilliant initiatives to develop the sport of table tennis all over the world and to make it accessible to all.
