Project for Peace: Inauguration of Basketball Court for children in Goma
The Child Protection section of MONUSCO on 14 July2016 inaugurated a basketball court in Goma to provide enjoyment to local youths and keep them out of armed groups. The project funded by MONUSCO through its Quick Impact Projects initiative. Its inauguration ceremony was held in the presence of over 100 children, the provincial Minister of Education and Sports, the Promote Youth Basketball Club (PJB), the German delegation of Adidas and, above all, two Congolese-born international basketball icons Guy Muya and Bismack Biyombo who are residents in Germany and the United States of America respectively
Several speeches marked the event including that of MONUSCO Child Protection Chief, Dee Brillenburg Wurth, who disclosed that the project cost over 104 000 USD with MONUSCO contributing over 57.000 USD with the participation of the Promote Youth Basketball Club (PJB) and the Children’s Voice .
According to Dee Brillenburg, MONUSCO through this Basketball court and sports in general will give the opportunity to excellent informal education put in place by the PJB to children, which in turn will trigger positive effects in the promotion and participation of girls through sport, reduce tension amongst youths, delinquency , avoid recruitment into armed groups, encourage dialogue and peaceful cohesion amongst them among others.
She also used the occasion to reassure all present of MONUSCO ‘s determination in contributing in the restoration of State authority in North Kivu, while acknowledging the DRC as a great nation in sports citing it the success of the National team ( the Leopards) in the African Nations Champion’s Cup in Kigali, Rwanda, recently.
Dee acknowledged the presence of the two basketball icons Guy Muya and Bismack Biyombo for their support and encouragement to the youths in Goma and the Country as a whole, in embracing sport in which, according to her, “the sky should be their limit”.
The North Kivu Provincial Minister of Education and Sports Adele Bazizane and the representative of Children’s Voice expressed gratitude to MONUSCO and other partners for the enormous contribution in the construction of the basketball court which will go a long way in educating children informally and also keeping them away from streets , crime, armed groups, and render them useful citizens of the future of the country.
On their part , Guy Muya and Bismack Biyombo encouraged the children to be interested in sports especially basketball. “You should strive to be like us or even better; the sky should be your limit, ” they said. Through slogans they advised the children to keep away from crime and armed groups and to become good citizens of tomorrow. The inauguration wrapped up with a friendly encounter between MONUSCO and Promote Youth Basketball (PJB) team.
Martha Biongo / PIO Goma