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By Ebube Dike

In its effort to keep improving the Netball sport in Nigeria, a non-governmental organization, NGO, the Community Sport and Educational Development, CSED Initiative, have further demonstrated their commitment to the development of grassroots netball in Nigeria, by awarding the first netball scholarship in the country

The scholarship which was married out in Benin Edo state was to to Bilkisu Titus to study in the university.

Bilkisu who is a netball player was recently offered admission to read Social Works in the University of Benin, UNIBEN.
The scholarship awarded to Bilkisu will cover tuition, accommodation and monthly maintenance for the first two years of her four years’ university course.

Furthermore, two Netball Africa certified coaches, Beauty Obamwonyi and Patience Urhobojevwe who are university students will be paid a one-off stipend of sixty thousand naira.

It would be noted that during the later part of the Covid-19 lockdown, these two young coaches took responsibility for the training of the netball players at the IDPs Camp in Uhogua.

The good news of this scholarship award was mentioned by CSED Initiative National Coordinator, Edema Fuludu, during the events marking the International Day of Sports for Development and Peace (IDSDP) that was held recently at the IDPs Camp Uhogua.

The highlight of this occasion was the introduction of an adapted form of “Bee Netball,” which saw children between 8 to 11 years old having access to play netball for the first time.

It would be recalled that CSED Initiative built the first netball court in Nigeria at the IDPs Camp Uhogua in February 2020 and the following month facilitated the training of the first set of Nigerian netball coaches that are certified by Netball Africa.

Before the end of December 2027, CSED Initiative intends to actualise their goal of promoting Nigerian girls “right to play” netball by training one thousand two hundred Physical Education Teachers, as well as distributing free netball training equipment.

As achieving this will enable Nigerian girls to benefit from the empowering opportunities of participating in netball, hence, the desire is to take netball to Nigerian students from primary school to university level.