A total of 10 Rwandan Kungfu players will benefit from China’s International Kungfu Federation (IKFF) scholarships that will range from one to three years at Beijing Shaolin Wushu School. The programme is part of the federation’s undertaking to develop Rwanda martial arts. The ten, all national team players, are set to depart for Beijing on October 12. While the beneficially players will take care of buying their air ticket, Beijing Shaolin Wushu School will cover all the other expenses while in China. Rwanda’s Kungfu Federation president Jackson Mucyo Havugimana described the development as a “great opportunity”. Rwanda is the only country in the East African region to benefit from the scholarship programme. “I believe that the ten young players that we have selected will benefit from this programme and consequently, the knowledge and experience they will gain from there will be vital to take Rwandan kungfu to a higher level,” Havugimana told Times Sport. He added that the ten players (students) were supposed to fly to Beijing on Tuesday this week but the flight has been postponed to Monday due to failure to obtain travel documents in time. According to Havugimana, the beneficiaries include one girl and nine boys. Of the 10, five, including; Jean Nepomuscene Nizeyimana, Mack Anderson Ndayizeye, Fred Rwigema, Hadjara Ingabire and Jean de dieu Imanirakiza will stay at the Beijing Shaolin Wushu School for one year. The four, who will study for two years are; Claude Nsanzimana, Djihadi Kibira, Eloi Muhizi Hitimana and Olivier Cyiza, while only Emmanuel Havugimana will last the full three years at the school. editorial@newtimes.co.rw
