Youth Sports Multiply through Azerbaijani Community Connections Participant
During her time in the U.S. on a USAID-supported Community Connections Youth and Amateur Sports and Interest-based Associations exchange, Malahat Tagiyeva learned how government agencies, NGOs, and businesses support youth through sports and other activities. Upon her return to Azerbaijan, Tagiyeva, Deputy Head of the Lenkaran City Youth and Sports Department, sought to expand the circle of community members and organizations that support youth activities.
Between October 2007 and March 2008, Tagiyeva organized more than 20 youth sport events and activities and initiated a plan to create youth sports teams that will actively engage parents as referees and judges. To maximize the plan’s opportunity for success, Tagiyeva has requested assistance from the Ministry of Education to purchase new equipment and improve school sports facilities. Thanks to Tagiyeva’s energetic promotion, the Education Minister has expressed interest in supporting the program. Meanwhile, outreach to the local Lenkaran government has yielded prizes for students and teachers who win regional sports competitions.
“I was amazed to see how businesses actively sponsor sport associations and activities [in the U.S.]. My experience taught me to reach out to a variety of community member to support local activities,” reports Tangiyeva. Participation in the Community Connections exchange program encouraged her to develop and organize new youth projects while fostering collaboration among private, public and NGO supporters that will help ensure the sustainability of Lenkaran’s youth activities.
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| CC Alumna Malahat Tagiyeva and Ilkin Rahimov, Deputy Head of the Lenkaran Executive Committee, present sport contest winners with prizes provided by the local government. |
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