Stakeholders and sponsors have been urged to step forward and support youth sports development through the JMK Park Youth Sports Development Centre as the facility marks a decade of nurturing talent and promoting inclusion.
Speaking to journalists in Dar es Salaam, the centre’s coordinator, Mr Robert Manyerere, said JMK Park will celebrate its 10th anniversary on February 14 this year, an event that will be accompanied by a range of sporting activities aimed at engaging young people and the wider community.
The celebrations will feature football, five-a-side basketball, 3x3 basketball, wheelchair basketball, hockey, as well as morning aerobics sessions open to the public.
“We are grateful to Coca-Cola Company for coming on board to sponsor these celebrations, but the door remains open for other sponsors to join us in making this event a success and in supporting youth sports development,” Mr Manyerere said.
He said over the past 10 years, the centre has registered notable achievements, including identifying and developing young talents in various sports disciplines, some of whom are now playing for local and international clubs.
Mr Manyerere added that several youths nurtured at JMK Park have secured academic scholarships abroad through their sporting abilities, while the centre has also produced professionals, including local instructors and national team coaches across different sports.
Another coordinator at the centre, Mr Aziz, called on Tanzanians to attend the celebrations and show support for persons with disabilities, particularly during wheelchair basketball matches.
“Sports provide an important platform for promoting inclusion and equality. We encourage the public to come and support athletes with disabilities and appreciate their talents,” he said.
He said JMK Park remains committed to using sports as a tool to empower young people, promote social inclusion and strengthen community development.