The Zambia Baseball & Softball Association (ZBSA) has signed a major partnership agreement with the Japan-Africa Baseball & Softball Foundation (J-ABS) to help grow and promote the sports of baseball and softball in the country.
The four-year Memorandum of Understanding between the two organizations was signed at a ceremony held at the National Sports Council of Zambia on Friday, 3rd May 2024. It paves the way for J-ABS to implement its "Baseballership Education" model of using baseball to foster discipline, respect, and justice among Zambian youth.
"We are so excited to have the team from J-ABS and the Japanese Embassy in Zambia. We can't express our joy enough because we see this as a real boost for baseball in Zambia," said ZBSA President Chabi Chondoka. "This partnership will bring a lot of initiatives, equipment drives, and all that is involved in developing baseball."
J-ABS President Shinya Tomonari, accompanied by Eiichi Tsujimoto, the Overseas Business Coordinator, stated the goal is to spread the Japanese baseball culture's approach to human resource development across Africa.
"These human resources will contribute to the development of Zambia's economy and society as people who can respond to the globalization of society in the future," Tomonari stated. "We aim to contribute to the creation of such a future."
"We have conducted Baseballership Education Seminars for Coaches and leaders in seven African countries (Tanzania, Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya, South Sudan, Benin, and Cameroon) over a two-day period from morning to night."
The signed MOU between J-ABS and ZBSA is for a four-year duration. The ZBSA team at the signing included President Chondoka, Vice President Andrew Zulu, General Secretary Kenny Matishi, Treasurer Chola Sichalwe, and Administrator Mwape Nshimbi.
Before the signing ceremony, both ZBSA and J-ABS had visited and conferred with the permanent secretaries of the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Youth, Sport, and Arts as part of the activities lined up for the J-ABS team during their stay in Zambia.
Speaking at the same event, Masaru Yamaguchi, First Secretary at the Embassy of Japan in Zambia, said that the Japanese government supports the private sector initiative. "Japan has been a good friend of Zambia, and we have taken steps together in many ways. I rejoice that this memorable 60th anniversary year of Zambia's independence and our diplomatic relationship is deepening in the direction of sports."
As part of the partnership activities, the J-ABS team will conduct a two-day level 1 training in Lusaka and Kitwe for 40 participants at each location, in addition to visits to Kwame Nkrumah University in Kabwe and the Copperbelt University in Kitwe over the coming days, working with the ZBSA to lay the groundwork for grassroots baseball development nationwide.
