Niamey, Niger, May 11, 2013 – The Niger Volleyball Federation officially launched their national volleyball development programme on April 10, 2013, in cooperation with the FIVB, the Niger Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture, and the Niger Olympic and National Sports Committee.

The National Federation is moving to a new direction by initiating the programme and concentrating on the young and promoting the development of volleyball to students, ages 10-12 years old. The programme will train students from 80 schools which aims to perk up their interest to train volleyball at a young age.

Niger has a strong history in sports youth formation that was initiated by a group of physical education teachers in the mid-80s. It was then followed by a younger generation of leaders that built training centres in secondary schools throughout the country. These initiatives endowed Niger with vital youth training and allowed Niger Volleyball to prosper in sub-regional club competitions.

Now, the new development programme aided the National Federation with new equipment, including 1,000 balls, 650 T-shirts, 300 nets, 150 manuals and other Cool Volley kits.

As the new development programme is on its test run, Badr Issouf, president of Niger Volleyball Federation, recounts the circumstances that contributed to the conduct of such program as well as the future direction of their development.

“Another program will be granted by the FIVB but that will depend on the success of this year’s program,” said Issouf on stressing the importance of implementing the programme properly.