We presented it at the Charity Dinner in Rome last May, and now we are proud to announce that the I Tennis Foundation for Ukrainian Kids charity project has started the countdown.
With the collaboration of Laureus Italia and the contribution of Fondazione Compagnia di San Paolo, Fondazione Cecilia Gilardi and Fondazione BNL, we have designed a unique charity programme, including an annual scholarship scheme for young Ukrainian female tennis players aged 14.
During the course of the programme, the Ukrainian girls will be hosted in Turin together with their mothers, thus giving them the opportunity to escape an increasingly difficult situation in their country and continue to pursue their dream of becoming professional players.
The educational plan includes full hospitality in Turin, school tutoring, advanced tennis training and participation in ITF International Tournaments: a fantastic international group built on meritocracy and social inclusion!
The technical supervisor will be Maestro Gipo Arbino, coach of Lorenzo Sonego (best ranking No. 21 ATP) who will follow the girls in a leading club in Turin.
Testimonials of the programme, in addition to Lorenzo Sonego, are the Ukrainian champions Anhelina Kalinina (BR no. 25 WTA) and Marta Kostyuk (BR no. 27 WTA), who were also personally involved during the charity dinner launching the project at the Circolo del Ministero degli Esteri.
The girls selected due to their very high tennis level (they will be presented at an event during the upcoming Finals) and the modest economic conditions of their families live in war-affected areas of Ukraine and are currently unable to train and play their beloved sport.
“It was great to participate in this event. It is a very important project and we are happy to support it and to be an example for all boys and girls who have the dream of becoming tennis players,” Marta Kostjuk and Anhelina Kalinina said almost in unison during the event in Rome to launch the I Tennis Foundation for Ukrainian Kids.
THE PROGRAMME
I Tennis has created I Tennis Foundation for Ukrainian Kids, the programme in cooperation with Laureus Italia that will award an annual scholarship to talented 14-15 year olds from Ukraine.
For the young tennis players, the scholarship will consist of tennis training, schooling and international programming coordinated by the I Tennis Foundation technical committee composed of Gipo Arbino, Emilio Sanchez, Ivan Ljubicic and Stefano Massari.
The annual programme benefits 8 Ukrainian refugee women (4 girls and 4 mothers) and is scheduled to start in October 2023 and includes:
– scholarships for tennis, school, full hospitality and international programming
– parents hosted in Italy
– 10 months of tennis and athletic training
– 10 weeks of ITF tennis tournaments
CLICK HERE AND FIND OUT HOW YOU TOO CAN SUPPORT THE PATH
OF THE UKRAINIAN GIRLS
