
ISLAND CRICKET
The Women's Island Cricket Program is an Australian funded program and it aims to combat NCD's and promote the inclusion of mothers and women in communities in sport. The program provides health awareness, diet education and exercise opportunities to women in communities around rural Port Vila with the age ranging from the youngest being 15 years old and oldest participant being 90 years old.
Island Cricket is used as the VCA's Cricket for Development program addressing the increasing issue of NCD's in Vanuatu and the exclusion of women in sports. The program includes a 20 week program which incorporates educational and awareness components into the sessions which are delivered by the VCA and our partners, the Vanuatu Family Health Association, Wan Smol Bag, the Australian High Commission and the Department of Health.
The sessions involve seminars/guest speakers on Maternal Health, Domestic Violence, Women’s Rights and NCD’s as well as workshops on the health benefits of exercise, cooking with healthy affordable produce and homework group walking challenges with fun prizes for the winning group.

The program also incorporates its own local competition structure which comprises of women from the participating communities competing against each other in full island dress for fun, physical activity, and social fun.
Fun Fact: Equipment is made traditionally from the use of Banyan tree to make the bats and Banyan Sap for the balls.
WICP Objectives
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Develop a program based around Island cricket of which the concept can be used successfully in other urban areas around the Pacific to benefit middle aged to older women.
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Improve the health and diet habits of a group of 20-30 women from a single Port Vila Community.
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Create sustainable education in areas of NCD’s and Maternal Health
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Provide women with a social outlet and the opportunity to participate in sport.
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Identify women who can become future ambassadors for the program and take it to other areas of Port Vila
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Promote social inclusion and inclusion of women in sport and other aspects of community life.
