10 JUNE 2012 | WARDAK, AFGHANNISTAN

 

For Zubair, in Wardak, there’s only one way to live in Afghanistan and that’s by playing volleyball. Zubair, a member of the Wardak volleyball team, says sport is revivifying for any country but more so for one like Afghanistan. He is not alone in his appreciation of sport. Just weeks ago, Zubair’s sentiments reverberated across Wardak when the Provincial Governor’s Office dipped into funding provided by USAID to buy the Wardak Sports Federation a range of gear for volleyball, football and taekwondo.

 

The Governor’s decision to encourage sport in the province has meant that 29 local teams now had everything they needed to develop a new calendar of youth programs. It’s thought that at least 200 people have benefited directly so far from the recent funding, and many more have attended matches.

 

A member of the Maidan Wardak football team said that the support meant a great deal. “Before this we did not have adequate equipment to play football. Now we are fully equipped and hope that our teams will be a source of pride for Wardak province.” 

 

Added Zubair, the volleyball enthusiast, “participation in sports also encourages youth to invest their energies in positive ways instead of engaging in violence or drug use.”

 

Clearly, Wardak is finding a whole new team spirit through sport and sports promotion.