When Martha first joined Yayotse, she had no interest in volleyball, and even less belief that she could ever play it well, let alone successful at her hitting. She was full of raw potential but clouded by self-doubt, lack of opportunity, and the absence of a supportive environment.
But that was just the beginning of her story.
Through Yayotse’s sports-for-development model, Martha was introduced to structured, fun-filled drills that didn’t just train her muscles, but inspired her mind. Slowly but surely, the spark lit. Martha began to evolve, and in just six months, the unimaginable happened. Martha mastered the court, got noticed and called up to play for the community volleyball team. She also led Kasseh No.2 Basic School team to win the inter-schools volleyball competition.
Yet again, her versatility manifested when she was drafted into the Les Papillons to try her feet, instead of her hands, on the ball. Martha’s performance was noticeably surprising for a first-timer in the game. What follows is a young girl who never gets passed by a striker from the opposing team. Martha, now the captain of the Les Papillons, is a commanding centre back who anchors the defence with authority, organizes the backline with precision, and reads the game intelligently to neutralize threats before they develop.
Today, Martha isn’t just a player. She’s a symbol of what’s possible when young people are nurtured in the right space – turning quiet doubt into confident steps, and raw talent into community impact. This is how we are building champions of sport, agents of change, and purposeful lives – one child at a time.
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