By Charles Nyambe, Special Olympics Africa Project Coordinator
Special Olympics Botswana held the FIFA–Special Olympics Africa Development Project launch on 12 May 2006. The launch took place in a small town called Maun in the north of the country, located in the southwest edge of the Okavango Delta. This area is a major tourist attraction in Botswana. Held in the early evening at the Crestar Lodge Hotel, the launch attracted more than 90 local people.
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Frank Ramsden, Assistant Minister of Works, Transport and Communications (gray suit), meets Special Olympics athletes (left to right) Kumo Bofedile, Moses Paul, Oabile Sepakonyana and Kago Makondo. [Photo courtesy Special Olympics Botswana] |
The guest of honor was Frank Ramsden, Assistant Minister of Works, Transport and Communi-
cations. In his remarks, he pledged to support this project as it benefited citizens of his country who in the past were marginalized. He thanked Special Olympics and FIFA for such a great initiative and encouraged all those tasked to run the project to ensure that it is managed responsibly. The local Chief Charles Letsholathebe, whose name means “the one who holds the spear,” officially welcomed Special Olympics to Botswana and to his town.
During the launch, a proclamation was signed between Special Olympics Botswana and the Botswana Football Association, which was represented by Regional President Sinka Kanyenvu. Four Special Olympics athletes — Kumo Bofedile, Moses Paul, Oabile Sepakonyana and Kago Makondo, all from Moremi Primary School — were invited to represent the 150 athletes who will benefit from the project.
The project, launched this year in Tanzania, Namibia (see also FIFA-Special Olympics Development Project Launched in Tanzania and Namibia) and Botswana, aims to contribute to the visibility, acceptance and well-being of individuals with intellectual disabilities in Africa. The goal of the one-year project — which focuses on recruitment and training of coaches and athletes — is to recruit 500 new Special Olympics football (soccer) athletes in three pilot programs and to use the project to support family education and basic health screening. |
