Our Vision
To increase opportunities of practicing Kendo in Africa. We would like to support people to keep practicing Kendo under any circumstances.
Our Mission
We are an information and communication platform. We aim to provide various information about Kendo among African countries. So people can access to opportunities of practicing easily.
Our History
Since March 2020, many of us were forced to stop practicing Kendo under the Covid-19 pandemic. During that difficult period, we started to communicate with Kendo Clubs and seek the ways to strengthen the connections among Kendo Clubs in the similar situation among African countries.
From June 2020 to October 2020, we introduced Kendo Clubs in African countries at an international cultural event in Japan. The event introduced various sport activities all over the world to middle and high school students in Japan, and Kendo activity videos and equipment used in Africa were displayed.
In June 2021, as a beginning of our initiative, we launched the Africa Kendo Club Map that provides Kendo Club information, so that people who live or visit Africa can find a way to continue their journey of practicing Kendo.
Members
Hideki Yaoi
I have been working for development of African countries over a decade. When I was staying in Tanzania, I started introducing Kendo and established Tanzania Kendo Club in 2018. Unexpectedly there were a lot of people interested in Kendo even there was no Kendo club in the past. Thus, I started wondering that there might be more people interested in practicing Kendo around African countries but having no clue how to start. I wish the Africa Kendo Network could assist people to reach the practice environment.
Yumiko Ikeda
I have been engaged in volunteer activities for fund raising and organising sport events for people with intellectual disabilities. The place where people meet new friends through Kendo and share the life experiences among them. I wish this platform website could contribute to create such places around African countries.