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Tanyaradzwa Rusike in MUTARE
The Government has commended the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) for bringing technical experts into the country to help improve Zimbabweans’ performance in different sporting disciplines.
Speaking during an on-going media tour in Mutare, Manicaland State University of Applied Science (MSUAS) Registrar Kudzayiishe Mudzingwa said the Japanese Volunteer Programme has brought a new face to their sporting activities.
“I wish to express my gratitude to JICA for partnering with MSUAS through the Government of Zimbabwe which has culminated in the deployment of resource persons who are working with us to develop skills in the various sporting disciplines particularly in basketball and volleyball,” said Mudzingwa.
“This partnership aligns very well with the University’s mission to develop a student who is a total person, not only cognitively gifted but who is also endowed in terms of their psycho-motor skills in terms of the ecosystem of talent.
Mudzingwa added that through the technical assistance from JICA, they hope to nurture students who can qualify for national teams.
“We hope that those who are going to attain the requisite skills in this specific sports disciplines will propel the university further in various competition.
“I believe we will also be able to contribute to the national efforts of building teams to the Olympic games, Africa games and other international platforms,” he said.
MSUAS director of sports Timothy Ndhlera said the coming in of Japanese volunteer coaches has stimulated interest from student to join sports.
“The coaches have demonstrated beyond shadows of doubt that they are committed and have expertise to execute their duties efficaciously. Sooner, we will be a force to reckon with in basketball and volleyball thereby creating a propitious niche in these codes,” he said.
Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers Programme (JOVC) was established in 1965 and it dispatches citizens who wish to participate in assisting and promoting sustainable development for developing countries.
To date, JICA has dispatched more than 550 JOCVs to Zimbabwe since 1989, after the signing of exchange notes between the two governments a year before.
JICA resident representative Mr Shigeki Furuta said they are committed to improving the sport sector in Zimbabwe.
“Currently, we have 14 volunteers working in this country which covers various sectors especially sports such as basketball, baseball and soccer. We can say sports is one of the areas we are targeting because we believe people’s minds can also be developed through sports.
“This is because they will know how to make efforts to achieve something,” he said.
Online Reporter