Swipha Pharmaceuticals Company and Reaching Everyone with Accessible Community Healthcare (REACH) have teamed up with Kano state government and other partners to organise a rugby tournament for secondary schools students in Kano.
Themed, ‘iTry Nigeria youth rugby tournament’, the competition was organised for 30 male and 11 female secondary schools in Kano state with 800 students as participants.
According to the Chief Operating Officer, EHA Clinics and REACH program, Paul Hogan, the event which was started in Kano nine years ago on an annual basis is aimed at engaging school children from the ages of 12 to 14 years to be exposed to sporting activities and sports education.
“The programme stopped three years ago because of the COVID-19 and now this is the first tournament after the pandemic. It is just for the kids to have fun and be educated sport wise.”
Morocco beat Canada, roar into World Cup last 16
Spain stunned by Japan but reach World Cup last 16
On his part, Kano state commissioner of education, who was represented by the Deputy Director, Schools Sport Directory of the ministry, Kabir Shehu while commending the effort of the organisers expressed readiness to observe regular sporting activities in public and private schools in the state.
On her part, the program manager, REACH, Dr Maryam Bashir Dantata said the initiative has targeted 1,200 students and other people to receive basic and necessary healthcare services they need which include health education, screening for genotype and counselling, malaria screening, eye screening, diabetes, ulcer and other health challenges.
At the end of the tournament, Barewa Senior Secondary School won the senior category while Aminu Kano commercial college emerged winner in the junior boys’ category, Government secondary school Goron Dutse won in Senior and Junior Girls categories just as Minjibir Community School won in the junior tournament.
