Dear Charles
I was recently in Bujumbura to meet with members of the National Paralympic Committee and National Olympic Committee and the University of Burundi to help these groups build capacity especially to help build sports for people with disabilities in Burundi. Do you have any connection with these groups yet? Many of their activities are so far limited to the capital especially since the security situation made unescorted travel upcounty very dangerous. In any case, the Burundian NPC is planning on doing road trips into the regions to speak to directors of schools for children with disabilities to encourage them to have physical education programmes. SInce many of your orphans and children affected by war will be disabled it might make sense for you to cooperate with these groups based in the capital. If I can be of assistance in facilitating this contact to the NPC or University please send me a private message and I will arrange it for you.
I know that using the website in a non native language makes it more time consuming and difficult to take part. I also remember having my internet connections often crash in internet cafes. BUT it would still be wonderful and informative to hear your answers to the questions posed here by the others. I hope you get a chance to get online and hammer out some responses.
All the best from Berlin
Meilleurs Voeux pour l'Année 2008!
Heather
Heather Cameron
Free University Berlin
University Challenge
I think this project has a good premise of trying to empower children who have been affected by poverty and war through sports. But I think that this project needs to be more specific in its aims and goals to have the desired effect that its looking for.
Some questions I have are what sports do you plan on using for the program? What are the plans to expand the program in the future? In the article it said that 200 children had been rehabilitated. How were these children rehabilitated and how have they been since participating in the program?
Charles Rush
Center for the Study of Sport in Society
Northeastern University
University Ambassador
It would be great if you could expand on some of your answers to help us better understand your project. Particularly your delivery model, the demand for your innovation, the barriers and your story. How did this idea come about? Tell us a bit about yourself. That would be great!
I encourage you to contact Jean-Marie Bizimana the President of the Burundian Association for Sport and Culture. He, too, has entered the competition from Burundi and you are working on similar projects. His email address is absc2001fr@yahoo.fr and the link to the entry is below.
http://changemakers.net/en-us/node/2427
I hope to hear from you soon.
All the best,
Dana Frasz
Changemakers
Hello Dana,
Thank you for your interest in my project and the contact to Mr. Jean Marie, I will contact him and see what he is doing even though I think we are intervening in different zones. I will update my project but shortly this is who am.
I Originate from Kirundo, Burundi; I knew at first-hand the devastation ethnic conflicts can cause. I lost my parents to the war in Burundi, but found refuge in his passion for sports. I won numerous medals at the African Track Championships, earned a sports scholarship to France and represented Burundi at the Olympic Games in Atlanta in the 800 metre track event.
After my athletic career in Europe and knowing the power sport has to bring people together, I decided to return to Africa to help teach children valuable lessons of peace, tolerance and unity through sport and play. In 2002, I moved to Rwanda‚ and built “la Fondation Sport et Culture Pour la Paix”. And in 2005, we came together to set up an organization Amahoro Great Lakes which is aiming up bringing together youth from our region to share and solve their problems.
And now I am spear heading the set up of activities in Burundi and and that is why you saw up that project.
Dear Charles
I was recently in Bujumbura to meet with members of the National Paralympic Committee and National Olympic Committee and the University of Burundi to help these groups build capacity especially to help build sports for people with disabilities in Burundi. Do you have any connection with these groups yet? Many of their activities are so far limited to the capital especially since the security situation made unescorted travel upcounty very dangerous. In any case, the Burundian NPC is planning on doing road trips into the regions to speak to directors of schools for children with disabilities to encourage them to have physical education programmes. SInce many of your orphans and children affected by war will be disabled it might make sense for you to cooperate with these groups based in the capital. If I can be of assistance in facilitating this contact to the NPC or University please send me a private message and I will arrange it for you.
I know that using the website in a non native language makes it more time consuming and difficult to take part. I also remember having my internet connections often crash in internet cafes. BUT it would still be wonderful and informative to hear your answers to the questions posed here by the others. I hope you get a chance to get online and hammer out some responses.
All the best from Berlin
Meilleurs Voeux pour l'Année 2008!
Heather
Heather Cameron
Free University Berlin
University Challenge
I think this project has a good premise of trying to empower children who have been affected by poverty and war through sports. But I think that this project needs to be more specific in its aims and goals to have the desired effect that its looking for.
Some questions I have are what sports do you plan on using for the program? What are the plans to expand the program in the future? In the article it said that 200 children had been rehabilitated. How were these children rehabilitated and how have they been since participating in the program?
Charles Rush
Center for the Study of Sport in Society
Northeastern University
University Ambassador
Hello Charles,
It would be great if you could expand on some of your answers to help us better understand your project. Particularly your delivery model, the demand for your innovation, the barriers and your story. How did this idea come about? Tell us a bit about yourself. That would be great!
I encourage you to contact Jean-Marie Bizimana the President of the Burundian Association for Sport and Culture. He, too, has entered the competition from Burundi and you are working on similar projects. His email address is absc2001fr@yahoo.fr and the link to the entry is below.
http://changemakers.net/en-us/node/2427
I hope to hear from you soon.
All the best,
Dana Frasz
Changemakers
Hello Dana,
Thank you for your interest in my project and the contact to Mr. Jean Marie, I will contact him and see what he is doing even though I think we are intervening in different zones. I will update my project but shortly this is who am.
I Originate from Kirundo, Burundi; I knew at first-hand the devastation ethnic conflicts can cause. I lost my parents to the war in Burundi, but found refuge in his passion for sports. I won numerous medals at the African Track Championships, earned a sports scholarship to France and represented Burundi at the Olympic Games in Atlanta in the 800 metre track event.
After my athletic career in Europe and knowing the power sport has to bring people together, I decided to return to Africa to help teach children valuable lessons of peace, tolerance and unity through sport and play. In 2002, I moved to Rwanda‚ and built “la Fondation Sport et Culture Pour la Paix”. And in 2005, we came together to set up an organization Amahoro Great Lakes which is aiming up bringing together youth from our region to share and solve their problems.
And now I am spear heading the set up of activities in Burundi and and that is why you saw up that project.
CONGULATURATIONS FOR ENTERRING THE COMPETETION AND HOPE BURUNDI IS FINE.