Women take up karate for self defence

KARATE
Mbita Karate Club members train in Homa Bay on Thursday, March 26/2015

When Canadians commissioned a world-class tae-won-do centre at the Kenya Fluorspar Mining in Elgeyo Marakwet County in 2012, the athletics-mad community celebrated the new sport.

It turned out to be a big boost for the region’s ability to churn out tae kwon-do talent after Canadian High Commissioner to Kenya David Collins –accompanied by former world tae-kwon-do champion Victor Luke and Grandmaster Am Lee, the founder of Tae Kwondo Canada Association – officially opened a ultra-modern tae-kwon-do centre at the mining firm.

And miles away in Mbita in Homa Bay County, a similar gesture hovers.

While there is an upsurge in sex violence, Mbita Karate Club coaches Hesborn Ouma Dondi and Zachary Akumu have decided to train women for self defence against rape, thus boosting the standards of the sport in the area.

Karate, they say, can help women ward off sexual violence.

“Self defence is a strategy for reducing HIV/AIDS infection in Homa Bay County amongst women who are vulnerable to rape,” said Dondi.

 

FOUGHT THUGS

Lillian Awino, a karateka from Rusinga Island, attests to this, saying she successfully fought a group of thugs whom she repulsed using her karate skills.

Rukia from Ndhiwa also relives how she was attacked by an unknown gang, prompting her to employ karate skills to fight back the attackers and escape.

Dondi and Akumu now encourage women in Homa Bay County to join karate clubs to train in self defence and make careers in the sport.

Homa Bay county karatekas are asking and appealing to President Uhuru Kenyatta and Deputy President William Ruto to support Homa Bay county karate clubs to foster into thorough training to women for physical fitness and self defence.

“We have talent here, but what lacks is the support,” Akumu told FeverPitch in Homa Bay town on Friday. 

“Homa Bay County government has been supporting football while other sports disciplines like karate, boxing, tae-kwon-do, athletics and rugby rarely get any support, we challenge the Governor Cyprian Awiti to allocate funds for other sports disciplines as well,” said Dondi.

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Elgeyo Marakwet