EUTM Somalia: Donation of sports equipment to local female basketball teams by Italian Contingent.

Mogadishu - January 16, 2018

 This activity supports emancipation of Somali women.

The CIMIC Branch (Civil and Military Cooperation) of the Italian National Support Element (IT NSE) to European Training Mission in Somalia, organized and conducted a donation of sports equipment and clothing to female basket teams in Mogadishu in order to sustain their participation in this sport.

The donation was planned to support the Somali Sports Department of the Banadir region (and in the municipality of Mugadishu) and to sustain their programs for development of Basketball throughout Somalia. Basketball, once a sport banned by Al-Shabab fundamentalists, is now a popular activity amongst Somali women in their stride through emancipation.

LTC Pino ROSSI, Commanding Officer of the Italian National Support Element and the Chairman of the Somali Sports Department for Banadir met a numerous crowd of beneficiaries at the donation ceremony: young players of female basket teams. LTC ROSSI took the opportunity to stress the firm commitment of the Italian Contingent in support of policies and social activities aimed at promoting emancipation of young Somali women.

The young players also took the opportunity to talk about their difficult return to basketball and to express their gratitude for the support provided by the Italian Contingent through these donations, destined especially to the weakest amongst the local population. These activities are accomplished through military operators from the Multinational CIMIC Group,  a Combined Joint Unit of the Italian Army, specifically designed for civil-military cooperation (CIMIC).

 Source:  Italian Defence General Staff Website

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