The Banzaï Volleyball club was founded on May 19, 1996. On September 5 of the same year, the club was officially affiliated with the Haitian Federation of Volleyball (FHVB). “Banzai” was a Japanese battle cry during the war and is literally translated as “Ten Thousand Years”. The Japanese warriors honored the emperor by shouting “Banzaï”, meaning, “Long live the Emperor”. Banzai is a term derived from the Japanese samurai spirit and ideology of not accepting the shame of defeat.

The Banzaï club is a sport association with no political and economic interest. It offers young people the possibility of learning and playing volleyball to enhance their physical and moral health. It provides a climate of friendship and mutual respect among the members. There is no room for any prejudices and discriminations on political, economic and religious affiliations. The article 3 of the statutes of the Banzai club clearly emphasizes it to the members.

The Banzaï banner bears the colors of green and red. The logo presents two players holding a ball together over the net. It reminds members that Banzai is an inclusive club where young men and women witness to authentic friendship and team working. Each one carries the responsibility to make Banzai a known and a respected club, holding to its ideals and values. The Banzaï club has its own directives and it is governed by the general assembly that meets at least once a year. The Executive Committee, composed of 7 members, is elected for a term of four years.

The club solicits a minimum annual membership fee from the members. However, honorary members contribute according to their capacity and generosity. A news bulletin for members’ information appears three to four times a year. The first training session for women happened on May 21, 1996. It was directed by Eddy Etienne at the Sacred Heart Club at Turgeau. The first training session for men was held on October 1, of the same year and was directed by Herode Pierre at the Sport Center called “Dadadou”. Today, training sessions are held at different places directed by a team of trainers, under the supervision of the technical staff. The Club used public and school courts for training sessions and actual games until July 2017. From that time we had our own playfield in the sports center under construction.

July 2017

Since 1997, the Banzaï club participated in different sport competitions organized by the League of Volleyball of the West (LVBRO and the national federation (FHVB). Banzaï teams participated in the tournaments of the Olympic week organized by the Haitian Olympic Committee. In 2007 we started our volley-ball school. Every Saturday morning kids are learning how to play volleyball.

The club is proud of having had several players (man and women) included in the national selection that competed in international tilts in different countries.

Most members of the club are students. The club encourages them to make efforts in obtaining good results at school. Education is given a priority. The club assures that trainings and games do not affect the member’s academic life.

From a small foundation, the Banzai club became a well-known sport association in Haiti. But aware of the financial demands of the club, we worry about its future. Most members of the club are students from lower income families. These are young students who, in spite of poverty, hope for a better life, hope for a better future. The club needs financial help and support for the advancement of its mission and vision. Major expenses cover the purchase of equipment for training sessions and competitions; uniforms; compensations for trainers; the cost of organizing and expenses on the annual summer camp. Other expenses would include transportation and training expenses.

Banzaï club has been very successful because of so many generous individuals who believe that through sport, we can make a difference in the life of many young Haitian men and women. Haiti is in need of hope and we are planting this hope for the future with these young men and women who express their desire and passion to life through sport.

The traumas created by the disaster of January 12th, 2010, the losses in human lives and the almost total destruction of necessary infrastructure for the practice of volleyball seemed to have sounded the end of Banzaï and the volleyball. But thanks to the testimonies of support on behalf of so many friends of the club, the phoenix “Banzaï ” rose from the ashes of despair. Many friends of Mamosa and Banzaï in Belgium started with actions of fundraising to make our sports association affected by the earthquake be reborn. They will make it possible to find the necessary support for the realization of a new ambitious project which consists in the construction of a sports complex which can receive all the activities which the Mamosa-Cunina foundation and Banzaï wants to undertake.

Ten years later, the foundation had to realize that it no longer had the means to ensure its survival. The foundation began to have problems finding the necessary funds to continue its activities for the benefit of students and young athletes. Father Jan is a member of the Congregation of the Missionaries of Scheu (C.I.C.M.). After having presented his concerns to the superiors of the mission province to which Haiti belongs, it was decided that C.I.C.M.-Haiti will replace the foundation to ensure the continuation of its youth work and the construction project.

The still unfinished centre became at the end of 2022 a CICM training centre and was given the name of «Centre Théophile Verbist», in honour of the founder of the Congregation of Scheut. The Mamosa-Cunina foundation has since been dissolved and the responsibility for the youth work through the center has been transferred to CICM-Haiti. Banzai will have the center as the headquarters of the club, allowing it in accordance with the management of the CICM center to organize the current activities of the club, such as training sessions, matches, meetings, volleyball school, summer camp, etc.

There will still be a lot of work to be done to make the center functional and profitable. CICM-Haitï is committed to helping us find the financial means to seriously proceed with the construction of the gymnasium, in collaboration with the Belgian support group “Ayiti Cheri”.

The association of “The Friends of Banzaï” (ASAMBA)

The Association of Friends of Banzai was founded as a group that wants to help guarantee the survival of the club. The members of this group will offer their support, advice and suggestions in order to keep the club on the right track as described in its statutes and internal regulations. They are committed to providing moral and financial support to the club.

As far as financial support is concerned, each member will give the club a contribution according to his generosity with a minimum of US$ 50 per year (art 6 of the statutes). They will be welcome to participate in all activities undertaken by the club or in which the club participates. They will receive the club newsletter and at the end of each fiscal year (October to October), a financial report giving information on all expenses and income made during the past season.