By Evan Midford, Website & Social Media Coordinator
Sport Manitoba strives to support sport partners in creating sport development opportunities by working to ensure the development and accessibility of quality sport programs at club and recreational levels.
The Manitoba Islamic Association (MIA) offers the community educational programs for children and families, charitable assistance to those in need, and social and cultural programs. MIA recently applied for and received Sport Manitoba’s Community Sport Development Grant to start a karate club.
Nada Farag, Office Manager at MIA, worked with Karate Manitoba to get the process started on setting up a new club.
“Once we started the program, we saw an incredible turnout,” said Nada. “We had to start running it first to see what the interest level would be, and it’s been great. We’ve had a lot of people attending the classes.”
Grants Go a Long Way
Now that the program looks like it’s going to be sustainable, they plan to use the grant money to get the right mats and uniforms for the participants. The participants each pay a fee for the program, but that money is usually allocated to paying the instructor, which is why Nada says she’s so thankful for grants like this.
“Donations can be up and down and just really inconsistent. We are here to help deliver a variety of programs to our community, and grants are essential to provide something professional and real to kids, seniors, and any other participant groups.”
Because MIA is a not-for-profit, anytime they want to start a new program, they generally need grant money to help get started. Karate Manitoba directed them to this grant and helped them set up the program correctly and get an instructor with the credentials, the knowledge and the proper set up.
Nada notes that the population of Winnipeg is rising quickly, and a lot of city programs are hard to get into. People love the idea of having a community centre, and people feel safe and united at MIA. Grants help them provide the best service they can to community members.
Movement for Life
The age group of the karate club is 7-14, and kids sign up through a registration page on the website. Since its inception, the program has been very popular, and participants are continuously telling their friends about it. The parents are also really excited about it, as karate has a lot of moral and self-defense teachings.
“Children are always really drawn to activities where there’s physical movement,” she says. “They’re naturally inclined to physically be moving, always running around on the playgrounds or playing with siblings or friends. And that’s what sports are – physical movement that’s organized.”
Research has shown the more kids are exposed to activity, especially at a young age, the more likely they are to stick with it and develop a routine that includes physical activity.
Nada says she thinks sports are a real part of our development, incorporating critical thinking, physical activity, teamwork, and a sense of accomplishment.
“I don’t think you can ever have too many sports clubs or programs.”
