28/3-2023VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR IN GAME 2022
Young volunteers are at the heart of GAME’s mission to create social change through street sports. Every year, GAME celebrates our volunteers by awarding one from each local GAME program the title of ‘Volunteer of the Year’. This year we celebrate 14 Volunteer of the Year:
Fathi Mohamoud Adam, Playmaker Program, Somaliland
Atika Bashiru, Playmaker Program, Ghana
Mofeda Ahmad, Playmaker Program, Jordan
Kassim Al-Hawani, GAME House Viborg
Peter Davidsen, Playmaker Program, Greenland
Daniel Filbert, GAME House Aalborg
Nassir Gachego, Playmaker Program, Kenya
Mikkel Gundersen, Asphalt Meet-Up
Renate Hesthag, Playmaker Program, Norway
Iris Hrustanovic, GAME House Copenhagen
Iman Kannouj, Playmaker Program, Lebanon
Zahra Mamend, Playmaker Program, Denmark
Ines Nafti, Playmaker Program, Tunisia
Søren Thomsen, GAME House Esbjerg
Atika Bashiru is Volunteer of the Year in GAME
Among the nominated volunteer, GAME chooses one to be the overall Volunteer of the Year in GAME 2022. Atika has been a Playmaker since 2019 when GAME and DUNK GRASSROOT startet activities in Ghana. She has been involved with DUNK GRASSROOTS since she was a student-athlete at the age of 15. Her commitment to making a positive impact in the lives of the people and communities in Ghana is truly inspiring, and we are honored to have her as part of the team.
Atika’s background is a testament to her resilience and determination. She grew up with her grandmother after losing both her parents at a young age. Raised in an extreme cultural and religious belief, she was at risk of being a victim of child marriage and dropping out of school. However, through DUNK GRASSROOTS, Atika earned a scholarship to complete her middle and high school diploma in visual arts. After completing her studies, she worked as a volunteer at DUNK GRASSROOTS‘s community library as a teaching assistant.
Defying all odds
In 2019, when the Playmaker program was inaugurated in Ghana, Atika was among the first batch of trained Playmakers and has since exhibited an increasing commitment to the program. She is a founding member of the Slum Art Project, which delivers training sessions to children using arts as a tool for social change. Atika has defied all odds and the harsh reality of her background and strives to be the best version of herself and the participants she works with.
Atika’s dedication and commitment have not gone unnoticed, and she was recently nominated to participate in an international youth exchange in the Global North due to her resilience, hard work, and dedication to the GAME in Ghana.
Inclusion of children and youth with disabilities
Atika has demonstrated exceptional leadership skills, working collaboratively with fellow volunteers to carry out meaningful projects that have made a real difference in the lives of those she serves. More recently, she has organized weekly training sessions focusing on including people with disabilities.
We are deeply grateful for Atika’s devotion, and we honor her for her exceptional contribution to GAME in Ghana. Her enthusiasm, passion, and dedication are a shining example of what it means to be a volunteer in GAME, and we know that her legacy will continue to inspire many more people to make a positive impact in their communities.
