Tennis, a sport that arouses enthusiasm among children in Kinshasa who have broken up with their families. It is within the framework of the “Lisanga ya sika” project that the Zoo Development Center (CPZ) has been offering tennis lessons to more than sixty vulnerable children for seven months already.
This project aims to offer children in difficult situations a framework conducive to their development. The Zoo Tennis Club provides financial support to tennis coaches and teachers, but encounters difficulties in covering operating costs related to tennis and school supplies. A search for partners is underway to fill this financial gap.
The children benefit from practical teaching on three crushed brick fields, made available by the CPZ. In addition, a new building was constructed inside the club, housing a secretariat and three equipped and furnished classrooms. Thus, in addition to tennis lessons, children also have access to French, mathematics and English lessons to compensate for possible academic delays.
This development program is in addition to the Congolese general education program, allowing children to develop both their sporting and intellectual skills. It also offers them a structured and secure environment, promoting their social integration and personal development.
Beyond learning tennis, this project helps to give a new perspective to children experiencing family breakdown. It allows them to develop their self-confidence, their discipline, their team spirit and their motivation, qualities which will be essential in their life journey.
Thanks to the commitment of CPZ and various potential partners, these vulnerable children now have the chance to benefit from quality sports and academic support. The “Lisanga ya sika” project demonstrates the importance of investing in youth, by offering them opportunities for a better future.
In conclusion, tennis turns out to be much more than just a sport for these children from Kinshasa who have broken up with their family. It is a way to rebuild oneself, develop skills and regain hope for the future. Thanks to this project, they can hope for a better future and fully flourish in a society that extends a helping hand to them.