„At first I was very excited, but also very curious to find out what my players would be like and what my host family would be like.”
Madina has been playing handball in Germany for many years, even at a professional level.
Making the transition from a player to a volunteer coach for children’s and youth teams in a country she is not yet familiar with certainly requires a certain spirit of adventure.
But Madina has something that cannot always be captured on a CV: she knows the sport of handball, understands what makes a good team, is passionate about sharing her knowledge and create a positive atmosphere within her project.
„What I found when I got there were some really lovely people. Everyone was really nice and made me feel very welcome.”
Out of the comfort zone, into a Handball adventure
However, her ambitions extend beyond training in Zanzibar. She also wants to empower young people through sport, take on responsibility, experience a new culture, and of course improve her English. And, as an added bonus, she’s realising that stepping out of your comfort zone a little can actually be quite fun.
„I really enjoyed the first training sessions with the children. I think the children are enjoying them too.”
„I try to keep the training sessions varied and I’d say that’s been working quite well so far. I was particularly pleased that the boys who had recently been to Pemba won the tournament and brought home a trophy.”
Through her voluntary work with ‘Zanzibar Handball’, in partnership with the ‘Goal for Goals Sport Centre’ in Tanzania, Madina is supporting children and young people in sport. We’re convinced that her positive attitude will rub off on her new protégés, as well as on the ‘Handball for all’ project.
„I’m looking forward to seeing what else lies ahead and what experiences I’ll have in the near future.”