This partnership with Mr Fawazi included more than 50 bags of mealie meal, beans, sugar, cooking oil, chickens and salt, which were offered to the refugee community of judoka, while chicken was also given to Meheba secondary school judoka.
During his speech, Mr Mabvuto Ng'uni encouraged the young children to work extra hard in school as well as on the tatami and use judo as an educational tool to change their lives and become more responsible, in order to contribute positively to society. He also thanked the ministry of home affairs and internal security through the refugee commissioners office, Ministry of Community Development and Social Services, UNHCR, IJF and The Nowegian Olympic and Paralympic Committee and Confederation of Sport for their continued collaboration leading to the sustainability of the Judo for Peace projects in Meheba and now in Mayukwayukwa refugee camp, where a new programme was launched last summer.
Mr Mabvuto Ng'uni thanked the parents of the judoka for allowing their children to practise the sport and asked them to continue encouraging them. "I want to extend our heartfelt gratitude to the sponsor Mr Shawki Fawazi for living up to his corporate social responsibility by partnering with ZJA to donate food supplies," said the ZJA General Secretary, before adding, "We promised the judoka that this is not the last donation. More preparations are underway. This will encourage not only the children but also their parents."
The parents’ representative, Mrs Nancy Mwamba, promised to join and also take part in judo programme, "Thank you to the Zambia Judo Association and Mr Shawki Fawazi for coming up with such donations."
Despite all the challenges, the Meheba Judo Association is very much alive. This partnership will for sure give hope to the judoka and their relatives living in the refugee camp. Once again judo is more than just a physical activity. It helps build a better world where no-one is left without consideration.