Could sport be our saviour?
In the biblical tale of David versus Goliath, the shepherd boy didn’t use conventional tactics like swords and armour. He used a stone and a slingshot, and caught the supposedly battle-hardened warrior off-guard. The rest is history, as they say.
Thus, in a battle where a known underdog faces off against an overwhelming favourite, employing unexpected and unconventional tactics greatly increases the underdog’s probability of victory.
In the battle against poverty, Namibia faces a Goliath of mammoth proportions. Could sport be our stone and slingshot - our unconventional tactic that snatches victory from the jaws of defeat? Our political leaders haven’t shown this kind of inclination or resolve over the years, with sport budgets being cut to shreds.
And yet, could using sport for development be an unconventional tactic for the fight against poverty?
Sport has the power to inspire and unite people. It creates happiness. It has the ability to improve educational outcomes. It empowers people and creates leaders.
Even during this time of Covid-19, where the sporting industry is only now slowly shifting gears to restart activities, Namibia should take note of the searing example of how sport has created household names globally out of those who had tasted the most extreme and hostile environments growing up.
This can only be done through clear-cut and well-funded initiatives to ignite the power of sport in our neighbourhoods, especially where young people see no hope for the future through academic prowess or other conventional means.
Thus, in a battle where a known underdog faces off against an overwhelming favourite, employing unexpected and unconventional tactics greatly increases the underdog’s probability of victory.
In the battle against poverty, Namibia faces a Goliath of mammoth proportions. Could sport be our stone and slingshot - our unconventional tactic that snatches victory from the jaws of defeat? Our political leaders haven’t shown this kind of inclination or resolve over the years, with sport budgets being cut to shreds.
And yet, could using sport for development be an unconventional tactic for the fight against poverty?
Sport has the power to inspire and unite people. It creates happiness. It has the ability to improve educational outcomes. It empowers people and creates leaders.
Even during this time of Covid-19, where the sporting industry is only now slowly shifting gears to restart activities, Namibia should take note of the searing example of how sport has created household names globally out of those who had tasted the most extreme and hostile environments growing up.
This can only be done through clear-cut and well-funded initiatives to ignite the power of sport in our neighbourhoods, especially where young people see no hope for the future through academic prowess or other conventional means.
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Namibian Sun
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