International Women’s Day was in full swing on Saturday as females of all backgrounds and cultures gathered the world over to celebrate the special occasion.
While some would have marked the event with a day of pampering or an exchange of gifts, a group of ladies in Abu Dhabi decided to host a volleyball tournament to raise money and awareness for EWA Shelters for Women & Children.
Sixteen teams gathered at the Paris Sorbonne University Sports Hall on Reem Island to compete in the tournament. The event was organised by Enthusiastic; the first France-based women’s volleyball team in Abu Dhabi who have been supporting EWA for the past three years.
Established in 2010, under the umbrella of Red Crescent, EWA is a shelter for women and children who have been victims of human trafficking in the UAE.
The foundation provides facilities to support those affected with accommodation, therapy, medical services and training to help them become self-reliant.
Players of all ages and ability were invited to participate in teams of four, with the tournament split into three categories; beginner, intermediate and advanced.
The tournament enjoyed audience support from family members in the stands cheering on the action on-court.
Inspire Team bagged first place in the advanced category with Ace-spikers taking the runner-up spot. The intermediate category was won by organisers Enthusiastic and at beginner level, Indian Ladies Association emerged the victors.
“The involvement has been great and those victims are suffering from very bad conditions so I really appreciate the women who came down today to support this cause,” H.E. Sara Suhail, CEO of EWA Shelters told Sport360° during the event.
“I would like to tell everybody to support us in spreading awareness about such issues. It is great to see these women taking a stand against something important through the means of a sport.”
Team manager of Enthusiastic, Isabelle Le Bon-Poonoosamy, said she was delighted with the turnout and hopes the event can continue to grow in the future.
“What I loved about the day was the ambience, it was a really good opportunity for women to be together, support a cause and also celebrate Women’s Day,” she explained. “We have been supporting EWA since 2010 and we will do it better every year.”
UAE-based Le Bon-Poonoosamy insists there will be lots to look forward to as Enthusiastic aims to organise more sports events and classes.
“Women’s sports here is starting to become really dynamic, the facilities are great and women are understanding the importance of sports to lead a healthy life,” she added.
“The idea is to spread the spirit of womanhood through sports and make our participants carry on the message as it not only benefits them but the community as well.”
Beena Augustine, captain of the Indian Ladies Association, was delighted to be a part of the event and believes her team’s dedication paid off.
“It is the very first time we played in a tournament, so it feels amazing,” she said. “We are all thrilled and the win is all thanks to the team's hard work.
“I have a passion for sports and when that is coupled with a good cause is feels great. The time spent, injuries and bruises nothing matters because it is all for a noble cause.”
For more information on EWA Shelters for Women & Children, visit the official website at www.shwc.ae
If you are interested in learning more about volleyball in Abu Dhabi or to get involved in the scene, visit Enthusiastic’s official website at www.abudhabivolleyballenthusiastics.over-blog.com.
