THE raising of funds to develop the sports curriculum at the North-West Secondary School in Region One has achieved one milestone, and several other benchmarks are being actively pursued.At the beginning of the new term, the school received 100 footballs, football gear and equipment, which were shipped from the United States through funding from the GoFundMe network, a personal fundraising website based in San Diego, California.

The footballs were handed over to Head Teacher Carlotta Joseph earlier this week in the school corridor at Mabaruma. Joseph told this newspaper that the initiative, though small, will make a positive impact on the school environment. “It makes the children a bit more rounded, because we know that sports should play an integral part in the school’s curriculum,” she said. She praised schoolteacher Andrew Campbell who had conceptualised the initiative.

Campbell told the Guyana Chronicle that the 100 soccer balls’ initiative came about after he had seen a “lack of support” for hinterland athletes by the relevant authorities. He said that, without doubt, there is a lot of talent in the hinterland regions, but one of the main obstacles in harnessing that talent is the lack of sporting equipment and gear.

BEST SWIMMERS
He noted that the region has produced some of the best swimmers in the country; but, according to him, those accomplishments do not receive support from corporate Guyana, unlike what obtains with coastland athletes. He said emphasis needs to be placed on development of sports in schools in the interior locations of Guyana.
A coastlander who has been in the region for some four years, Campbell explained that he liaised with a U.S.-based colleague, Celawan Jack, and she applied to the website for funding. He said she created the page and sought assistance through the donation platform; and according to him, past students and overseas-based Guyanese were ready to support the initiative.

“We were looking to raise US$1,000 and we raised a little over that amount,” he said. The next initiative is aimed at raising 100 pairs of football shoes for the students. In addition, he noted, there is a plan to refurbish the school library, another initiative which is being piloted by the school.

This teacher said the school board may consider hiring a librarian to manage the facility, and persons are willing to contribute to creation of the library. He said willing donors overseas are ready to ship hundreds of books to the North-West Secondary.

Campbell said the students, school board and the school’s Head Teacher have all expressed appreciation to those persons who supported the initiative.

The APNU+AFC administration has indicated its support for the development of the hinterland, with sports being among several areas listed in the overall 10-point strategic plan for hinterland development.

Last August, at the National Toshaos Council meeting at the Arthur Chung International Convention Centre at Liliendaal, Greater Georgetown, President David Granger told toshaos that the Hinterland Language, Cultural and Sport Service programme will ensure that the cultural traditions of Indigenous peoples are preserved, along with improved access to Information and Communication Technology. This plan is also geared at facilitating the construction of state-of-the-art sport facilities in hinterland communities.

By Alva Solomon