JMK Park reaches milestone in 1st anniversary

Dar es Salaam. Eleven year-old Elia Mazengo became the 50,000th new user to register at the Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete Youth Park (JMK Park) during the weekend, the park’s Technical Director, Ray Power has said.

Power said this significant milestone comes just in time for JMK Park’s first anniversary. Since opening its doors in October 2015, the Park has become an epicentre of activity in the lives of the many young boys and girls in Dar as Salaam.

He said the Park has exceeded all expectations in its first year. One of the best ways to measure the impact of JMK Park on the community is by looking at the number of people we reach, so seeing that more than 50,000 girls, boys and adults are engaging with the facility in such a short period really is a huge achievement for everyone involved.”

According to Power, in its first year, the Park’s range of sports and education programs originally offered have been refined and expanded into what is now a diverse time table of 16 programmes, designed to engage children on and off the field with skills-based athletic coaching and lifestyle education including programs focused on HIV/AIDS and Malaria awareness. Targeted groups include elite footballers, female participants, and members of the community with disabilities, schools and street children.

One of the most popular programs is the Jr. NBA League. The Park will host the first Jr. NBA League Finals on Saturday, November 5 and this exciting event will be open to the public, including friends and families of the participating schools.

“Partnering with local schools is the perfect way for the Park to engage with the community, and we are extremely proud of the Jr. NBA League, which is made up of 450 players and 30 participating schools from the area,” he said.

He explained that the Jr. NBA Finals Event will be a day to remember for the entire community. In addition to the excitement of the season’s championship game, the event will feature a DJ, music, local entertainment from the schools and a special NBA Legend.

In a year of many highlights, the JMK Park Elite Football Academy, in Association with Sunderland AFC, has been another standout programme exceeding all expectations.

The programme, influenced by the Academy of Light in Sunderland, includes 42 elite players. Since the start of the season, four have played for the Tanzanian national team, two players have been selected for future Serengeti Boys Team (Tanzanian U17s), two players were invited to the Aspire Academy in Nairobi, and six players took part in extended trials at Azam FC.

JMK Park’s founding partners, Symbion Power and Sunderland AFC, in collaboration with the NBA, developed the non-profit facility to provide opportunities for education and skills training of Tanzanian youth.