Dreams + Teams: education through sport [Archives:2003/680/Community]

Fahmia Al-Fotih
Twenty young girls and boys from Yemen Modern School who belong to Dreams +Teams managed on Thursday 16 October to organize a wonderful festival that took place at Kentucky Park.
Ms Frances Guy, the British ambassador to Yemen attended the festival in which she said “I am very happy to see these young girls and boys acting a very good leadership role and showing the younger people in school what can be achieved with encouragement. The most important thing is that they enjoy it. The other thing that they genuinely and individually seem that they have achieved the experience of understanding they can play some kind of leadership role and that hopefully will give confidence for future.”
Ms. Amatalkareem Abdualkader, Yemen Modern School, commented on the event “Actually, this program is considered a gathering for students in which they were trained how to be leaders and how to run such activity themselves without any supervision and introducing a big sport festival within which they are divided into groups each one has responsibility and duty.”
She said further “In fact we as administration and teachers are just audience and everything is prepared by the students themselves. In cooperating with British Council, these students have been trained by our teachers how to be successful leaders. Today we see the fruitful results in reality. This is the first time for effective participation performed by the students themselves. I am very happy as I have not expected the skills that the students have shown and I feel that our kids are capable scientifically, logically and successful to lead.”
Khadija al-Sarhi, British council marketing manger, said “Dreams + Teams is an international program aimed at developing Young Leaders through sport. We run training courses for Local Tutors, who then train young people to act as Young Leaders and organize sport festivals in their community. By running sports events for hundreds of local young people these Young Leaders are challenged to demonstrate leadership, be active citizens in their community and value and promote cross-cultural understanding.”
She added “British Council has adopted this project and program in 20 countries over the world. Yemen is considered one of main participants in the Middle East. So all the participants have recognized 17th of October to be the sport day and now all of them celebrate this day.”

Teachers/trainers
Also the teacher/ trainer comment on the event. Mr. Ammar al-Twaiti, said, “First, we thank Yemen Times for attending this successful program under a title “Dreams +Teams”. ''Dreams + Teams'' is a non-governmental and international organization seeking to develop youth skills and discover their talents. This program also attempts to engage all youths in regardless of their abilities including the handicapped”
Adel al-Azani “In the beginning this program was just an idea till we went to Egypt and had a training course where we trained students there and came back to train students here in Yemen. The Yemeni students have shown that they are really talented. The festivals are successful in all measures.”
Kahlid al-Fashosh, another teacher, “Today my tongue is unable to describe my happiness of seeing my trainees performing a successful work. I thank everybody who has participated in scudding to the success of this festival”
Dreams + Teams group
Khadeer Saif al-Harithi, one of the team, said, “I feel very happy and excited.
Ebtehage al-Shareef, another member, said, “I am in the executive group. Today we are going to train the children and implement what we have been taught. I hope that our festivals to be successful one.”
Amani Mohammed Abdualgahani, “We did not expect that the festival would be like this. We really worked hard but to see today the festival successful and teacher appreciation, we feel very excited. The officials who visited us exalted our efforts and encouraged us to do better.”
Reem Maher, “It is a program about teaching students in our age how to be leaders of kids now and to be leaders in the future. I have learnt how to be a leader that does not mean to be tough but on the contrary she/he has to be gentle and friendly.”
Adnan al-Qasos, First, ''Dreams +Teams'' is an educational and sport organization to improve children skills and talents. We have been trained in British Council for three days under a title “leadership”. We have also an evaluating session of this festival and hope to take part in international festivals.”
——
[archive-e:680-v:13-y:2003-d:2003-10-27-p:community]