Solange Ngonda Tibesa an Ogoja based Cameroonian refugee will be representing Nigeria at the 5th edition of the World Table Tennis Day (WTTD) 2025 event. The WTTD 2025 is an event that is supported by the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) to promote the development of the game of table tennis at the grassroots level all over the world.

According to the ITTF: “30 promoters were selected for World Table Tennis Day (WTTD) 2025. Representing 27 countries and territories across all 5 continents. These passionate individuals will play a pivotal role in uniting communities and sharing the joy of table tennis on 23rd April 2025.” A record 160 persons applied to be considered as a WTTD 2025, promoters, out of which Solange and 29 other applicants from 27 counties and 5 continents applied to be considered.

Furthermore, the ITTF stated that they will provide Solange and the other promoters with the financial assistance, capacity-building resources, and personalised guidance to align their initiatives with the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the theme of diversity and inclusion.

Solange who is currently a full-time staff of Save the Children, is also a trained netball coach who supervises the compulsory twice a week training of the more than thirty netballers that are based at the Adagom 3 refugee camp. During a telephone interview with our reporter, Solange stated that on 23rd April 2025, she and the Ogoja refugees table tennis organising committee hope to hold the event in the Adagom 1, Adagom 3 and Ukende camps.

Over one thousand persons are expected to attend the event in the three separate refugee camps. The event will be spiced up with table tennis challenge, live music, health and well-being talks, and light refreshment for the spectators.

Solange stated further: “as an experienced community worker, I know the important role sports can play in bringing people together and giving them the opportunities to compete with each other under set rules, in a respectful manner. I am also aware that sports could be used to empower and provided psychosocial support to vulnerable persons including the physically challenged. We hope to use the game of table tennis to reach out to my fellow Cameroonians and members of our host community in Ogoja.”

Finally, Solange commended CSED (Community Sports and Educational Development) Initiative for bringing the WTTD 2025 grant advertisement to her attention and encouraging her to apply for WTTD 2025.

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By Amaechi Agbo

At least four of the twenty-one secondary school students who participated in the 12 week long Sporting Coders pilot programme are now currently studying in the university.
Organisers of the competition, the Community Sports and Educational Development Initiative (CSED) disclosed this in a press statement on Sunday adding that the Sporting Coders programme involved the netballers of Tare Pet Montessori Group of Schools in Yenagoa (Bayelsa State) combining netball training with learning how to code.

The pilot project designed and powered by CSED Initiative, was implemented by Funsho Ekundayo and Victoria Allison Ayebaifie (netball coaches) and Humphrey Okonkwo Nnaemeka (IT teacher) and was managed by Catherine Sasuode. The financial investment on IT infrastructure by the proprietor of the school, Mrs Victoria Ebimenere Mologe was the foundation for the success of the Sporting Coders pilot programme.

The names of the beneficiaries of the Sporting Coders programme who are now undergraduate students are: Victory Woyengipreye Gesiye. (Medicine at Afe Babalola university) 2024/2025; Wisdom Alaere Nathan. (Political science at Niger delta university) 2024/2025; Chloe Woyengidoubara Gesiye. (Pharmacy at Afe Babalola University) 2024/2025 and Victory Peremoboerei Wenibowei. (Micro biology at River State University) 2025.

The Sporting Coders programme was specifically designed to give the girl child access to learn new skills, while at the same time enjoying taking part in sports in a safe and nurturing space. It was also designed to address the under-representation of girls in STEM courses. The pilot project used the medium of netball a once almost extinct sport in Nigeria, as a platform for advocating for and empowering the girl-child.

It would be recall that during the period of the Sporting Coders programme the 21 students were on two separate occasions given ten thousand Naira educational voucher, as well as free lunch during the twelve Saturdays that they attended the programme. Furthermore, CSED Initiative has fulfilled their promise of giving fifty thousand naira each to any of the pioneering cohort that gain admission into a tertiary institution. At the moment, seven members of the netball team of Tare Pet School are currently in their final year and CSED Initiative is expected to deliver their promise to these students in future.

Speaking with our reporter, a trustee of CSED Initiative stated: “we will try to deliver our promise to the netballers. We do not have to beg, steal or borrow to do so. All we have to do is to reduce the quantity and quality of eba and soup we usually eat. The management of Tare Pet School, their parents, members of the Naija Netball Stakeholders and the sports for change activists in Nigeria are proud of these pioneering students. As they have proved that they are not just champions on the netball court, they are also academic and community ambassadors of the game of netball, which is currently taking baby steps in Nigeria.”

Regarding future plans of taking the Sporting Coders training to other parts of Nigeria, the trustee of CSED Initiative stated: “It is gradual process because it is cash intensive it involves a lot of factors (access to electricity, availability of IT teachers and access to computer desktops/laptops) that are outside our control.”

“However, we can disclose authoritatively that through our partnership with the Francis and Fidelia Ibhawoh Foundation the Sporting Coders programme is going to hold before the end of this year in St. Maria Goretti Girls Grammar School in Benin City. UNN Secondary School Nsukka is also in pole position for the Sporting Coders programme.

“As part of our responsibility to take sporting and educational opportunities to at risk and vulnerable communities, we are likely to take the Sporting Coders training to IDPs Uhogua (Benin City) and the Cameroonian refugees’ community and their host community in Ogoja (Cross River State).

“But for netballers in the last two locations. we would need to reach a working agreement with the management of IDPs Uhogua, as well as with SEMA, the sport committees of the Cameroonian refugees, representative of the host community and the UNHCR Ogoja. As this is the only way we can ensure that everybody is carried along in order to achieve successful outcomes for the programme beneficiaries in future.”

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