The Ashburton Kwata Cricket Development Programme has earned the International Cricket Council’s best development cricket award for the second consecutive year.

Ashburton Executive Officer Taimi Shejavali told Nampa on Tuesday the programme is supported by investment firm Ashburton Investments Namibia.

Founded in 2009, the programme is aimed at raising awareness of cricket in various communities across Namibia, with a particular focus on promoting and sustaining healthy and active lifestyles for underprivileged adolescents, she said.

“These cricket matches and training sessions have had a visible and real impact on the pleasant experience of cricket among Namibian youth,” she added.

Shejavali stated that since inception, the programme has spread into 12 regions, and currently employs 10 teachers with an increase in participation from 39 000 children in 2020 to over 68 100 currently.

“We want to thank everyone involved in making all this possible, especially the children, coaches, teachers, and communities who embraced this programme from the start,” she said.

Revonia Job, Corporate Social Investment Manager at FirstRand Foundation, a regular sponsor of Cricket Namibia, stated that the continuous work of Cricket Namibia provides more opportunities to continue the strategic development of the game in the nation.

“Growing, supporting, and recognising talent at the developmental level is exciting. As a foundation, we encourage more corporates to do more to promote individual excellence and teamwork through sport,” she said.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency