Refereeing Basketball To Escape Violence In Venezuela

Caracas, Sept 14 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 14th Sep, 2022 ) :Venezuelan Yorsibeth Teran scans the court as players scream at her to blow her whistle while locals watch, some drinking coffee.

She is one of 20 young people from a Caracas neighborhood engulfed by violence that have been trained as basketball referees by a local NGO.

"I want to make my parents proud and for the kids in the neighborhood to look up to me as an example to follow, knowing that they don't have to be thieves, they can be referees or players," the 18-year-old told AFP.

The Caracas Mi Convive NGO has trained dozens of young people in the impoverished El Cementerio neighborhood in refereeing, bakery, confectionary, hairdressing and graphic arts.

In El Cementerio, which is famous for its huge cemetery, the entrance to the recently painted basketball court is emblazoned with the words: "We are playing for a world of more love and less violence." It adds: "Let your faith be greater than your fear." In July 2021, residents of El Cementerio and neighboring areas were paralyzed with fear as 2,500 police officers launced an operation that resulted in two days of shoot-outs with local criminals.

"I had a terrible experience during the clashes between gangs and police," said Teran.

Four police officers and 22 locals died during the operation.

Since then, Teran trained as a baker but she also learnt how to referee basketball matches.