Eldoret will be hosting the first-ever Fight For Life Tae kwondo Open Tournament this weekend at Eldoret Social Hall.
The tournament, according to organizers has attracted top Tae kwondo players from across the country as they plan to raise funds to rehabilitate street children in Eldoret and its environs.
Speaking in a press conference on Wednesday 13th Fight For Life founder Dr Parvez Alam said the tournament, which is being hosted across the world will be an opportunity to save a life in Kenya as they rehabilitate many young people in the streets.
“This is a global event to rehabilitate street children in Kenya and around the world,” said Alam, the senior lecturer at The University of Edinburgh.
He added that they will be having a global fight across the world “I have been fighting for over 25 years and I had an idea of transforming my skills into something else which is fruitful at the moments. I thought that martial art is not all about fighting, kicking and hurting, breaking people’s but though of what I could do with the skills I have. In had to do something different from the normal fighting and came up with an idea of helping street children in many towns in various countries.”
He added that they have been organizing one of the largest fighting tournaments across the world where tens of fighters around the globe will be continuing to hold events as they raise funds to help street kids in over 40 countries across the world.
North Rift coordinator Jactone Ratanga said their aim is to train, integrate street children into normal life.
Since top international instructors will be disseminating their expertise, Ratanga pointed out that it will be the best way to pass the skills to young generations.
“The program of this weekend is to see how we have integrated street children in Tae kwondo, coming from Eldoret and across the country. The street children should feel that they are part of this nation. We want to achieve good character from these children and martial art experts since we will have both junior and senior competitors,” said Ratanga.
He added that sports is part of an occupation and through the tournament, they will take some children to school and train them with other basic skills.