The African Development Project (ADP), which was launched by the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) in 2017 to boost baseball and softball across Africa, has been successfully introduced in the East African nation of Tanzania, which has a population of approximately 57 million.

Tanzania becomes the sixth African nation to be included in the ADP, following Ivory Coast, Kenya, Lesotho, South Africa and Zambia.

Tanzania ADP Launch: Good Governance and Development

A total of 35 participants completed the workshop at the Azania Secondary School in the nation's capital, Dar Es Salaam. The development and governance seminars were organised by the WBSC in collaboration with the Tanzania Baseball Softball Association (TaBSA).

The workshop aimed at instructing the participants on the Management of a Sports Organization. The first part of the course was on the constitution of a sports organization. The class overviewed the importance of relations with the National Government and sports authorities, relations with the media and the general public. Participants were also educated on establishing medium and long-term planning, with the main objective being the development of baseball and softball athletes. The seminar also touched on promotions and sponsorships. The final part of the workshop was dedicated to the basics of Baseball5, the urban version of baseball and softball.

In 2018, the first baseball field in Tanzania was built, with Tanzanian Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa present for the official opening. And by the end of the 2019, Tanzania made its historic debut in the WBSC Baseball World Rankings, at 73rd in the world. The future looks bright for baseball and softball growth in Tanzania, in Africa and across the world.

ADP - Phases I, II, III

The training course on the Management of a Sports Organization is phase one of the ADP, which aims at developing managerial skills on the staff on African national baseball and/or softball federations. Phase two covers the technical growth of a federation.

Once a National Federation has completed phase one, it’s entitled to go through phase two and request WBSC envoy coaches for two different seminars.

During phase three of the ADP, WBSC will support the National Federations in the organisation of events.

Related articles:

ADP to Kenya

ADP to Zambia

ADP to Francophone Ivory Coast

ADP to Lesotho

ADP to South Africa