By DisabilityNewsGH
A charity organization, Simon Agbotsu Foundation For The Young Disabled (SAFFTYD), in partnership with Go Get Them Racing Club has held a sports and entertainment event for persons with disabilities in the Greater Accra Region on Saturday, April 23, 2022.
The event which took place at the Accra Sports Stadium brought together some 1500 persons with disabilities from the 29 districts of the Greater Accra Region.
They participated in sporting activities such as Wheelchair basketball, Goal ball for the blind, wheelchair long tennis, table tennis, Skateboard racing and wheelchair racing; dubbed YES I CAN GAMES. There was also another event dubbed LOVE AND LAUGHTER, a time for music, dance and food.
The YES I CAN GAMES (mini Paralympic) is meant to unearth talents annually to feed the various national Paralympic teams, while the LOVER AND LAUGHTER offers persons with disabilities a platform to socialize and network.
At the end of the events, 5 exceptional wheelchair racing talents were discovered and would be groomed later for the national Paralympic wheelchair racing team. The coaches of the other activities are expected to also submit their reports later on the talents discovered in their respective disciplines.
Winners of the various competitions were given medals and cash prizes.
Simon Agbotsu Foundation initiated the events four years ago to contribute to efforts to improve the well-being of persons with disabilities in the country.
The organization has so far also supported some youths with disabilities in the area of education, learning of crafts, fixing of artificial limbs for amputees, as well as providing them with assistive devices.
The Founder of SAFFTYD, Mr. Felix Agbotsu was impressed with the turn out and the reactions of the participants.
He said he hoped that they would always have the means to keep putting smiles on the faces of persons with disabilities in the country.
Mr. Agbotsu called on state institutions and cooperate organizations to come board to help touch the lives of the less- privileged.
He also advocated for state support and that of cooperate bodies for the national paralympic teams, especially for tournaments.
Mr. Agbotsu acknowledged the support of Genesis Healthcare Professionals, Tina Travel and Tours, Willow Farms, Phillbro Group, Abeiku Santa, National Sports Authority and Hon. Benjamin Koley of Accra Breway LTD.
The Korle-Klortey constituency chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Mr. Benjamin Kotey, commended SAFFTYD and Go Get Them Racing Club for the initiative.
He encouraged persons with disabilities not to look down on themselves but rather put their talents to use to benefit themselves and society as a whole.
He made a cash donation of GHC1,000 to support the foundation and also pledged the NDC’s support for them in all future programmes.
Some of the participants, who spoke to DisabilityNewsGH, expressed their excitement about the programme and asked for more of such events.
SOURCE: DisabilityNewsGH