Standard of Cricket in Cameroon is growing

Tracy

- Tracy, CWB volunteer

                What is your mission to Cameroon?

                My name is Tracy. I am from London in England. I am representing an organization called Cricket Without Boundaries. We have projects in five different African countries including Cameroon where we coach cricket and also provide health messages with respect to HIV/AIDS.

                This is about the 5th visit of Cricket Without Boundaries to Cameroon. Why this special interest in Cameroon?

                We have a very good relationship with the Cameroon Cricket Federation. We have always been well received in Cameroon and this encourages us to always want to come back and see how the various messages we provide have been advanced. You know sustainability is very important. We want our projects in Cameroon to be sustainable; we want to be sure the HIV/AIDS messages are continuously being put across and cricket continues to be taught in schools even when we are gone. That is why we also train trainers who will be our ambassadors in Cameroon. They will continue going into schools and keep the coaching of cricket alive.

                What appreciation do you make of the development of cricket in Cameroon?

                I think cricket is doing very well in Cameroon. We have seen some of the Cameroonian national teams; they have good players and good coaches. I think the standard of cricket is good here. But if they can continue going into schools and teaching the younger generation then cricket in Cameroon will do very well in the near future.

                Does Cricket Without Boundaries have any projects to also develop cricket infrastructure in Cameroon?

                No, there is no project in that direction for now. Actually what we are trying to do is to make the teaching of cricket sustainable so that when we live the Cameroon cricket federation can continue from where we stopped and continue providing cricket in schools.

                How do the young cricketers receive the messages you provide especially messages on HIV/AIDS?

                You know at the start we coach head teachers of the various schools so they can also stay back and teach the students. The coaches that we train here are also taught how to include health messages in their training. I think the children understand very well what we teach them. The lessons are interactive so it is easy to know whether or not the messages have gone across. So far i find the students quite fantastic; their enthusiasm and interest to learn is simply wonderful.

                Why are your messages only on HIV/AIDS and not other common diseases like malaria and TB?

                The choice of HIV was made 10 years ago, when some three men who set up the Cricket Without Boundaries organization made a trip from Cairo to Cape Town and they saw for themselves how many communities had been devastated by HIV/AIDS. That inspired them to set up our charity and also link the teaching of cricket with messages on HIV/AIDS prevention.

                Can you tell us briefly about Cricket Without Boundaries?

                We are a charitable organization. We are all volunteers. We are not paid for what we do. I for example have taken a two-week holiday from my job; I paid for my flight and my accommodation here just to come and teach the children. That is about how we operate.

                How do you find the people of Cameroon?

                They are fantastic (laughs).