Towns that play together stay together

The remote northern village of Kamenica has often been overlooked when it comes to government funding, despite its large and growing population of school aged children. For example, a bridge that allows vehicle access to Kamenica has been in place for 17 years, but the town still does not have asphalted roads or convenient access to water. However, when USAID offered to lend a helping hand, village members decided that their most pressing need was a recreation facility. Nothing existed in the community, because it is located on the fringes of two municipalities, Leposavic and Zvecan. The children and youth of Kamenica had to walk six kilometers to access sports fields.

The Community wanted to keep its young people in the village, so local residents tried to build a court for soccer, basketball and volleyball. They ran out of money before it could be completed.

The U.S. Agency for International Development, in coordination with CHF International www.chfinternational.org , went to work. A contractor and local workers were engaged to complete construction of the sports court, stabilize the nearby hillside with retaining wall and bleachers, and put in lighting, sports equipment and a children’s playground. The facility is now open and well-used.

18-year-old says Aleksandar Pavlovic is enthusiastic about the basketball hoop and volleyball facility. “It is especially nice that the playground will be illuminated at night,” he said, “since that is when most of the young people are coming to play.” The children say the new bleachers also will enable them to organize sports tournaments with other communities, establishing stronger links with people outside of their small village.