In one respect the ceremony was mainly to award the
youngsters and in the other respect, it was intended to mark on the Haringay-based
Lordship Rec FC’s annual club presentation, an event which is observed in every
year in a bid to have a look at the club’s progress and achievements reached in
the past year.
The colourful ceremony attracted over a hundred participants
including, educators, former Somali players of different sport, the boss of
Somali sports community in UK, intellectuals, African Zone 5 basketball
marketing commissioner, representatives from some key sporting federations in
Somalia, parents, school teachers, coaches and other honourable guests.
The young age boys and girls who were awarded during the
ceremony include: Najib Olad, Samira Sharif, Brook Tamirat, Maryan Hassan, Rahmo Hassan, Sumaya Ali, Sowda Ali, Ilhan Osman and Daniel Tamirat.
Mr. Felix Waterhouse, who first addressed
at the ceremony said that something very unique has been accomplished since the
establishment of the two Learning Support Centres in Tottenham
and Wood Green administered by the White Star youth association which
not only teaches the children, but also educates them under football and other
sporting programs which he said were very useful for the children.
"This is really a wonderful and very exciting congregation, it is very amazing that for the past three years these children have been taught different subjects which lead some of them to be part of the top level students who gained the GCSE A and A Star levels in the school year examinations in UK” said Mr. Felix Waterhouse who is the group's educational coordinator.
"What we are
witnessing here today is a very clear testimony for the tangible results after
the launch of the successful endeavour by the White Star youth Association just
three years ago---the outcome is that our students have gained top results from
this year’s school examinations plus the victories these youngsters scored
during past football tournaments” Mr. Felix Waterhouse told
the gathering which was held at White Hart Lane Sports Community Centre over
the weekend.
"We have seen some
incredible changes since the White Star youth Association started educating the
children in football and then taught them their basic knowledge---we are really
very proud of these children and the great success that has been achieved so
far” added Mrs. Louise Torres-Ryan who
is one of the teachers during her briefed remarks at Saturday’s achievement
award ceremony.
Former Somali university professor and long-time sports
development campaigner, Dr Hussein Diriye Afrah thanked the White Star youth association
for its continued role in educating both Somali and non-Somali children who
were also trained under football promotion training sessions alongside their
normal educational system.
"It really cheers me and I cannot guess how happy I am to
be present at such very lovely achievement award ceremony which is to encourage
a number of well educated children” noted Dr. Hussein Diriye Afrah who started
his work as a tutor in Somalia in 1959 and was one of Somalia’s most renowned
university professors before the collapse of the horn of African country.
In what has been seen as the most spiritual speech during
the congregation Mr. Abdi Qasim Mohamed Hassan, whose four children attend the one
of the learning support centres displayed the certificates of his children who GCSE A and A Star in UK this year.
"My four children were among the best students in the
United Kingdom—this great victory has really been reached with the joint
efforts by the White Star Youth Association chairman Abdi Olad Rage and the teachers
who work with him” the happy father Abdi Qasim Mohamed Hassan told the ceremony
over the weekend.
For his part Professor Mohamed Moalim Marooko noted that
his previous thoughts and what he witnessed during the congregation were
totally different saying that an unprecedented and very huge task has been
done.
" We see the
western nations are fully developed and that is because of the industrial
revolutions in the west were based on education, so looking for knowledge is
very necessary as it finally leads you to progress and civilization in the
world” professor Mohamed Moalim emphasized.
Mrs. Safiyo Ahmed who was honoured to address at the ceremony
on behalf of the mothers whose children were being awarded said she was very
happy that their children were given all possible assistances which lead them
to culminate in such high levels in UK’s school examinations of the year.
Mrs. Federica Nardella,
one of the teachers who educated the children said that the relationship
between students and their teachers was all about an exchange of knowledge and
experience praising her students for being committed to their lessons, a real
commitment which she said was the main cause for the students to gain top marks
in the examinations.
"I am so proud of you (students), keep learning, keep
improving look at where you were three years ago and where you are now----also
imagine where you will be tomorrow” Mrs. Federica Nardella said
directing her message to the students.
Somali basketball Federation deputy president for
international relations and former women’s national team play maker Mrs. Hawa
Sheik Ahmed Taako said that education and sport were key pillars in the civil
development sector encouraging the continuation of such very successful move
which she said lead Somali U 12 boys win this year’s children’s football
tournament in London.
"For the past several years, the White Star youth
Association crossed the borders by sending some young and talented boys to join
Somalia’s football team and they so far represented their nation in
international competitions---on behalf of Somali basketball Federation I praise
Abdi Olad Rage and his group of coaches for the great role they are playing in
Somali sport in general and in particularly their event, the football” Mrs.
Hawa Sheik Ahmed Taako, Somali basketball Federation deputy president for
international relations told the ceremony.
One of the most prominent campaigners for the development
of Somali Sports Mr. Mohamed Isse Digeeye who witnessed the launching ceremony
of the White Star youth Association several years ago, briefed Saturday’s
achievement award ceremony about the youth and sports association, its history
and its activities in the short period it existed.
"I was present at the establishment of this initiative
several years ago, when you make comparison between the few years this
association existed and the uncountable things they achieved, it will come to
you as a surprise and unbelievable, but it really moved forward and that was
because of the joint work done by the teachers, football coaches and parents”
Digeeye told the ceremony.
Other key figures who addressed at the ceremony include: the
head coach of Lordship Rec FC Da’ud
Moalim, FIBA Africa Zone 5 marketing commissioner Engineer Bana Ali Abdalla,
the founder of Somalia’s first ever privately-owned TV and radio satellite
broadcaster (STN) Mr Abdirahman Roble Ulayare, chairman of Somali sports
community in UK Dahir Ali Kulmiye, former footballer Abdirahman Hussein Mohamed
(Tarabi), former basketball men’s national team top striker Haji Ereg, Chairman
of the north London-based of Ilamos FCMr. Ahmed Bile, Mr. Said Mohamed and Engineer Ahmed
Nur, one of the teachers at the Tottenham and Wood Green Learning
Support Centres.
However, Saturday’s achievement award ceremony which was
the biggest of its kind ever held in London by a Somali-owned youth and
sporting association in UK was concluded with the speech by the founder of
White Star youth association and Somali Football Federation administrative
representative in Uk Dr. Abdi Olad Rage who first thanked all those in the
attendance for spending their expensive time to come and see the result of the
huge tasks they have been doing for the past several years.
Dr. Rage indicated that the White Star
Youth Association is a community group which was formed 5 years ago from the
strong social ties and connections between Haringey’s Somali community.
In the early years, we ran a football club – Lordship Rec F.C. which started
its life as just one team but has since grown to 8, including a girls’
team. We realized through our close interactions with young people from
this area that many were struggling in school and were lacking in confidence
and self-worth as a result.
"With having this in mind, we then set up Educational Support outside School Hours covering Maths and English and science tuition based around the curriculum and supporting young people to get up to speed with their classmates. It is worth noting that the majority of the young people we provide sports activities and Outside School Hours club for are of Somali origin, we are open to anyone and are trying to reach out to diversify our take-up” Dr Rage added.
"The White Star Youth Association is part of a pilot project called ‘Sporteducate’ which funded by Deutsche Bank in partnership with Sported foundation. The Sported Foundation is national organisation that helps young people through the sport and it had so far helped us to grow from the very bottom since we start providing our sports activities” Dr. Rage said in his closing remarks at the ceremony.
Four organisations were selected throughout the great
London to be part of this sportseducate pilot project which helps young
players to improve their education in schools and get better educational
achievements. The White star youth Association has so far been recognized by
the North London communities as a ‘positive’ association which helped so many
young boys and girls to achieve top marks during their examinations in both
2012 and 2013 school years.
Courtesy of the pictures is for Ubah Olad
Courtesy of these pictures is for Ubah Olad