By Vourie Molivakoro
Copyright dailypost
The Sanma Sports Committee hosted a week-long Sanma Joint Area Games in Ipayato Village last week, drawing together communities from Area 1 and Area 2 under the theme: ‘Through Sports, We Build Healthy Communities.’
Held from Monday to Friday, the event saw over 100 participants and spectators gathering to enjoy a wide range of sporting activities.
The games featured football, volleyball, cricket, petanque, shot put, and javelin—bringing a vibrant atmosphere to the Area 1 village of Ipayato.
Chairman of the Sanma Sports Committee, Newman Tangis, emphasized the importance of the initiative in reviving local sports leagues and building human resources at the grassroots level.
“Our goal is to revive sports in all 12 local area councils across the province,” said Tangis. “But more importantly, we want to use sports as a tool to motivate our youth and keep them away from harmful activities like drugs and alcohol.”
The event attracted enthusiastic participation from both young and old, with competitive matches across various disciplines. Winners received prizes to recognize their achievements and encourage ongoing participation in sports.
In football, the winning team took home a cash prize of VT50,000, while volleyball champions were awarded VT30,000. Participants in petanque, javelin, and shot put also received meaningful prizes, highlighting the potential of sports as a rewarding path for youth development.
Banabas Simon, Chairman of the South Santo Area 2 Council, commended the organizers for hosting the games at the community level.
“Usually, our teams have to travel to town to compete,” Simon said. “Bringing such an event to our villages is a great step forward. I saw young people, especially girls, coming out to take part—something that doesn’t happen often.”
He added that initiatives like this are crucial in combating the rise of negative behaviors among youth.
“We aim to minimize harmful behaviours in our communities, and this event clearly shows that sports can be the catalyst for positive change.”
The success of the Sanma Joint Area Games not only revived local sporting spirit but also laid the groundwork for stronger, healthier, and more engaged communities across the province.
