Some background.
Funding from the Australian Government, via the Pacific Sport Partnership (PSP), has enabled a number of parallel projects to happen In Kiribati. As has been mentioned elsewhere, one of these is to facilitate the encouragement of 'Women in the Community' to become more physically active and enjoy sports. Nei Kairao Tune (KAA Treasurer) has been involved in that in 2017.
Nei Kairao reporting back.
For the last two months (May and June) she has been meeting womens' groups in the community. In Kiribati women are likely to organise, formally and informally, their own groups with similar interests and problems, to their mutual benefit. So far Nei Kairao has contacted 12 groups on South Tarawa, each group having an average of 20 women. With help from the Ministry of Health, all these women have been weighed: this provides a base-line starting point for one aspect of the project, against a probable life expectancy of 62 !
The groups have been introduced to Athletics Sports by inviting them to participate in basic games on June 29. Most of the images herewith were taken then.
Part of the idea is to improve health by exercise; but also to organise a team to represent TUC (the Council of the eastern part of South Tarawa) in the womens' events at the forthcoming bi-ennial 'RUNGA' (Inter-Island Games). A planning meeting for this is due to take place on July 22.
The future.
It is hoped that the benefits of this (and the other PSP projects in Kiribati) will build a self-generating momentum which will carry them forward. That is up to the local people.
Images.
1. MESI Ocean-side = one of the womens' groups in their community uniform, with Kairao.
2. In a small mwaneaba, Kairao and other ladies on mats stretching.
3. Kairao and a larger group doing an open-air dance-style warm-up.
4. Similar activity being obviously enjoyed !
5. Kairao leading more group activity.6. A male coach showing a group the correct grip for Shot Putt.
7. The same person demonstrating Shot Putt technique with Kairao.
Last Modified on 12/07/2017 00:02