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Reported by:
Mr Kjell Gunnå,
DIBF Secretary General
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Report on Deaf International Basketball Federation (DIBF) Deaf coach clinic/development seminar in Nairobi, Kenya, 26 - 29 January 2006.
Background
In November 2003 the first DIBF Deaf coach clinic/development seminar was convened in Africa in Lagos, Nigeria, a very successful one. Now it was the turn of Eastern/Southern Africa to arrange a similar seminar. I contacted Mr Peter Kalae and Mr Peter Ndungu, President and Treasurer respectively of Kenya Sports Federation of the Deaf, KSFD, and together we worked out the schedule and other details concerning the seminar as well as discussing which countries to be invited.
Postponement of the clinic/seminar
The seminar was first supposed to be arranged during September 2005 but was postponed until January 2006 for different reasons. The clinic/seminar obtained economical contribution from the International Basketball Federation (FIBA). Conductor of the clinic/seminar was myself, DIBF Secretary General, Kjell Gunnå.
Deaf basketball people from Burundi, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Somalia, Uganda and Zimbabwe were invited to the seminar and three people from each country was supposed to arrive and they confirmed their participation but somehow many did not show up in the end.
Mr Juma Kent, were the co-ordinator of the clinic/seminar and was of great help in planning, booking lodging and venue for the clinic/seminar and contacting necessary people. I am very grateful for his and his assistant Mr Yussuf Motha´s positive and creative help.
Location and participants
The training sessions and accommodation of the clinic/seminar took place at the Moi International Sports Centre 20 km outside Nairobi, a wonderful place for such a seminar with swimming pool, very good kitchen and accommodation for all of us. The theoretical sessions took place in a class-room at the Sports Centre which was provided us without fees.
Following participants could attend the seminar:
Kenya:
Mr Peter Kalae
Mr Peter Ndungu
Ms Mary Klarimu
Mr Augustine
Mr Juma Kent
Mr Yussuf Motha
Ethiopia:
Ms Gerawork Gizaw
Mr Girmache Zerihun
Uganda:
Ms Hamala Miriam
Mr Ahareza Noah
Mr Ronald Makubuya
Mr Nicholas Nsubuga
Tanzania:
Mr Simon Mwakatobe
FIBA Sponsor
The FIBA, through Jan Berteling, President of the FIBA Council for Basketball for Persons with a Disability, sponsored this clinic/seminar by contribution with 100% of my travel and all seminar accommodation expenses and some other local expense. Without this economical contribution by the FIBA I really doubt that this clinic/seminar would ever have been carried through at all.
Aims and goals with clinic/seminar
The aims and goals with the DIBF seminar/clinics is in the first hand to offer deaf basketball coaches and leaders with the fundamental knowledge of how lead a basketball group, make up plans for training and practice, to develop deaf basketball in their home-countries and to give them self-confidence to approach hearing basketball associations to seek co-operation and guidance for their continued development.
Training - lectures
There were practical sessions everyday during the clinic/seminar between 10.00 - 12.00 hrs led by myself. Unfortunately it was not possible to have a group consisting of school youngsters helping us to show the clinic/seminar participants how to plan, construct and carry through programs for training sessions. The participants had to take part of the sessions in person.
Between 14.00 - about 18.00 hrs everyday there were theoretical sessions led by myself. The lecture room was equipped with facilities enough to ensure a good review of the seminar content and smooth discussions.
Unfortunately, on Sunday the last day, I had to leave Nairobi already in the morning due to lousy flight schedule and this practise session were taking over by Ms Hamala Miriam and Mr Juma Kent who have previous experiences of leading basketball groups.
Long and fruitful discussions
There were long, many and fruitful discussions about DIBF and its roles in deaf basketball throughout the world. There were also a lot of discussions about different leadership roles which also caused heated arguments about male and female leaderships. It is my hope that I have raised some afterthoughts among the participants regarding these issues.
Conclusion
The clinic/seminar was an extremely great success which completely met with the aims and goals of the clinic/seminar expressed above. The participants excelled in profound and engaged discussions showing much enthusiasm and willingness to learn from the lessons. However, Kenya and Africa as a continent is facing many and serious problems especially for deaf people and others with a disability. The greatest problem is the lack of interpreters between hearing and deaf people using sign-language thus preventing deaf people to take part in society and to take part of higher education and so on. In case there is an interpreter available the deaf person has to pay themselves. Deaf people are not allowed to attend courses for driving license which is a very serious discrimination of deaf people which then also is a very big obstacle for them to work and develop their own living.
I am sure in future we will see the many of these participants in leading roles of deaf basketball in their home-countries and with fully developed contacts with the hearing basketball organisations.
On Saturday evening before I had to leave the clinic/seminar and go to Nairobi we had a little "party" with each country showing their cultural dances and this was a huge success. Without any music we all still could perform our dances. The “music” was in our bodies and minds and it was a wonderful event for me to see.
I would like to forward my own deeply felt gratitude to Mr Peter Kalae and Mr Peter Ndungu for their wide and open hospitality and work for the seminar to come true. Many thanks also to Mr Juma Kent and his assistant Mr Yussuf Motha for their contribution to the seminar.
Respectfully submitted,
Kjell Gunnå,
Secretary General DIBF
Report
