Partille Cup runs a number of social projects, such as Olympic Solidarity Project and Partille Cup – Kenya Trophy. We also run the project, Handball AID which primary goal is to collect clothes and other material for the teams or clubs that need it. We also share contacts from other clubs that want to give a helping hand in some way. Our friendship club in Norway – Fjellhammer IL is a club that has carried out such an action.
Last weekend they conducted a tournament in Norway where the profit where donated to Mount Kenya HC. Read their report below:
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It all started with the idea to find a friendship club in Africa…
This weekend, Fjellhammers Handball girls born 1996, arranged a training tournament to raise funds for a handball team in Kenya. MT Kenya Handball Club is the girls’ friendship club and will receive the €3500 profit from Saturday’s tournament. Haslum, Langhus, Slemmestad and Fjellhammer met to play matches in Fjellhammer Hall on Saturday 20 February.The Kenya project provided an excellent foundation for the tournament and both handball players and supporters contributed to the great atmosphere and a large amount of money to Kenya.
Fjellhammer girls -96 is 24 handball happy girls. They have played handball together for several years and are very tight as a team. The girls go to different secondary schools in Lørenskog, as well as to secondary schools in Skedsmo, Eidsvoll, Bold and Oslo. Together they have played many good matches and won several tournaments.
We want the girls to give something back to others who do not have the same good conditions as us, says coach Trond Olav Eek. Therefore we contacted different sources and through Partille Cup in Sweden, we came in contact with MT Kenya HC. The handball club is trying to work with children in the villages around Mount Kenya so they can get food, education and play handball, without having much money. These children come from very difficult circumstances. Many are orphans, living with grandparents, because they have lost their parents in AIDS or are homeless. Since MT Kenya HC gives the children food the interest to participate is huge and more than 500 children have been involved in various activities. It is the initiator, Julius Ndirangu, also the manager of the MT Kenya HC who is the driving force behind these activities. Funds are not enough, therefore the joy was great when Fjellhammer girls got in touch with the club and said they would help.
By playing handball MT Kenya HC hopes that these children may be able to forget reality for a little while. Through handball children can get to know each other, feel a community and maybe open their eyes for the future.
We want the tournament to be a regular activity and we have several ideas on how we can help Julius and his team to work in Kenya. We will also attempt to achieve long-term arrangements that provide lasting help. Partille Cup is already helping Kenya MT HC and it is natural for us to see if we can work together to achieve good solutions in Kenya, says Trond Olav Eek.
