Initiative gives ‘boost’ to sports enthusiasts, athletes

AMMAN –– When Batoul Arnaout used to jog at Al Hussein Youth City, the amount of litter she saw and the number of people smoking argileh in the area irritated her.

“Many of my friends used to run there, and the experience forced them to ignore the place and head to new areas,” she told The Jordan Times in a recent interview. 

But in Arnaout case, the experience encouraged her to launch a sports initiative dubbed “Boost”. 

According to Arnaout, who has a degree in sports marketing, the objective of Boost is to make sports better in the Kingdom by enhancing all its aspects.  

“The aim of Boost is to create a clean environment for sports enthusiasts, reduce the number of smokers and help sportspeople financially, providing them with the equipment they need,” she added. 

Under Boost, Arnaout promotes Jordanian athletes through the initiative’s Facebook page. 

“I promote Jordanian athletes who are successful and not well known among the community. The Facebook page followers like the idea and they always wait for new posts,” she added. 

In April,  Boost organised its first campaign by cleaning parts of Al Hussein Youth City. Arnaout has created a Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/BOOSTSportsJO) inviting volunteers to take part in Boost’s campaigns. 

“Around 70 people took part in the first campaign,” she said. “A total of 150 people attended our second event.”  

When the initiative met with a positive reaction from the community, Arnaout was motivated to expand the Boost umbrella. 

“I am also working with Cycling Jordan in cooperation with the Greater Amman Municipality to create a cycling trail in Amman,” she said. 

Arnaout is also working on two projects for Ramadan.

“We set up donation boxes to collect sports equipment for people who cannot afford to buy these items. I know around 50 sportspeople who live in underprivileged areas and are in need of this equipment,” she added. 

Dubbed “Help them become champions,” the campaign included setting up nine boxes in several locations in the capital to collect donations.

She also plans to organise a fundraising event at a gym in Amman, the proceeds of which will go to helping sportspersons buy equipment.

Arnaout stressed the importance of supporting athletes in Jordan because there are “so many skilful ones” who cannot meet the costs of the sports they practise.

“Some people have a lot of sports clothes because they always look for the latest designs. They can donate the old clothes they have to the sports enthusiasts who need them.”