International Table Tennis Federation shows its support for the people of Haiti

Setting up “Project Haiti” via the ITTF Goodwill Fund, Glenn Tepper, the ITTF Executive Director says they hope “to raise funds to assist with rebuilding table tennis venues, replace destroyed equipment and lead courses and activities that will provide some light in the darkness they currently experience.” Read more here.

National Table Tennis Federations, leading sports goods manufacturers and leading table tennis players have all joined in with the effort. The Japanese Table Tennis Association and the Indian sporting goods manufacturer Stag took the initiative; even before the International Table Tennis Federation had set up “Project Haiti” they had advised they wished to donate to the cause.

The Table Tennis associations of China and Switzerland plus Gerflor and the Beijing Huaxia Guoqiu Sports Goods company followed suit and donated equipment and cash to the cause. Read more here.

Romania’s Daniela Dodean led the efforts of leading table tennis players at the Qatar Open in Doha by providing a signed shirt that will be auctioned on eBay with all profits going to the ITTF Goodwill Fund. Read more here. Read more here.

Working closely the non-governmental organisation ‘Peace and Sport’ the ITTF are using the money raised to provide relief to the many displaced and traumatised children in refugee camps. Such as in Milot, where local man Pierre-Richard Granjean explained, “About a dozen boys and girls with hands or legs amputated discovered table tennis and they enjoyed playing in spite of their disability”. Read more here.

When the situation has stabilised, “Project Haiti” will use the funds to help rebuild the Associatienne Haitienne de Tennis de Table (AHTT). As Glenn Tepper says, “this will involve some building, replacement of equipment, and some coaches assisting in various ways.” Read more here.

Herold Francois from the AHTT spoke to the General Assembly of the Latin American Table Tennis Union on Thursday 4th March 2010 to express his deep gratitude for the efforts of the table tennis family. In his words “we are experiencing the true meaning of the motto “One Sport, One Family”. Read more here.

For more information on this tremendous effort please follow the links to the separate articles directly or visit the ITTF website.