Zambia, June 28, 2016: After Japan, Cuba, Brazil, Turkey and Australia, the International Judo Federation just released the new episode of the # Judo for World series, which features Judo in Zambia, in the southern part of Africa.
Despite the sometimes difficult living conditions and challenges that the African youth encounter on a daily basis, judo is a major social change in Zambia.
As Jude Mackenna, one of the founders of judo in the region, explains: “Judo is a discipline game and it changes the mind from the inside.
It isolates the person from outside challenges and difficulties he could get into.“
Andrew Kaswanga is a young judoka, who dreams of putting Africa on the world judo map and who was told that sky is the only limit.
Andrew explains: “Judo is a way of life, with the respect I’ve gained, I’ve become more disciplined than when I was young.“
If Zambia is composed of 73 tribes, the motto of the country is: “One Zambia, one Nation“, explains Maama Hamoonga, the ‘Judo for Fred’ coach in Livingston.
Last year, the young lady successfully passed the first level of the IJF academy and today, she takes care of more than 600 children in the touristic city situated next to the magnificent Victoria falls.
As she likes to say: “I am a mother to all judokas in Livingston.“
One of her pupils is Filleti Musanda. The young girl used to sell goods in the streets.
Threatened by drug and prostitution, she came to judo and thanks to it came back to school and is now able to have a better future: “The street is a very dangerous place.
But Sensei Maama told my mum about the educational value of the sport. Today my mother is proud. She has seen a lot of changes.“
The movie features all the characters in their environment and helps to show the situation and challenges but also the amazing hope of thousands of young judoka that is brought by judo. —- IJF
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