Addis Ababa, 23 July, 2024 / 3:22 pm (ACI Africa).
Jesuits Refugee Service (JRS), an international entity of the members of the Society of Jesus (SJ/Jesuits) is using judo to promote unity among young boys and girls from local and refugee communities in Ethiopia.
In a Tuesday, July 23 report, the trainer of the youths at the JRS Youth Centre in Addis Ababa since 2019 says that the training in the martial art as an indoor sports has “a transformative power”.
“Judo unites and brings children together, both refugees and those from the local community. It instils values of discipline and respect for others,” the trainer identified as Tesfaye with judo black belt and one of two Ethiopians with an international Judo license is quoted as saying.
In the report, JRS officials say that while judo has mental and physical benefits, the sport is not widely practiced in the Horn of African nation. As a result, they say, it is not easy to secure funds for materials and to pay the salaries of the instructors.
“Despite these challenges, JRS Ethiopia and Tesfaye continue to coach a team composed of young, motivated athletes, with different backgrounds and stories, but all united by their passion for Judo,” the officials say.
