20 Feb 2023

The universal popularity of sports and its benefits make it an ideal tool for fostering the inclusion and wellbeing of persons with disabilities (PWDs).

Former 400 metres runner, Onkabetse Nkobolo, said this at the Parasport Awareness event in Gaborone on Saturday.

He said it was important to engage PWDs in all sporting activities to strengthen them not only physically but also mentally, adding such skills could help reduce dependence.

Nkobolo highlighted that PWDs often faced societal barriers and disability evoked negative perceptions and discrimination in many Botswana societies.

PWDs, he said, were excluded from community life and had no access to public transportation, some government offices, noting that deprived them of opportunities essential to their social development.

He said sport participation was a fundamental human right and therefore called for all private companies, NGOs and government to support PWDs wholly as well as assist with facilities that would enable them to be active participants in the country’s development.

In general, Nkobolo said, PWDs were considered to be dependent and seen as incapable, therefore that caused individuals with physical disabilities to experience restricted mobility beyond the cause of their disability.

For her part, the coordinator of Parasport Awareness, Kagiso Tlhabano, said sports could help reduce stigma and discrimination associated with disability as it could change community attitudes about persons with disabilities.

Tlhabano said, through the parasport initiative, she wanted to create solutions that would increase participation and access to sports for persons without disability to interact with PWDs.

She said in obtaining a Commonwealth scholarship, she was forced to include an objective of helping PWDs to engage more actively in sports, adding that sport changes the persons with disability in an equally profound way by empowering them to realize their full potential.

Tlhabano also reiterated that through sport, PWDs acquired vital social skills, learnt to be independent and communicate effectively with people that are at the same level as well as the significance of team work, cooperation and respect for others.

She further said, through sports, PWDs could advance social inclusion, health and life skills, adding that it fosters psychological wellbeing by providing opportunities for friendship, a sense of self and meaning and purpose in life.

“It positively affects the way PWDs perceive their bodies leading to better mood states, less stress and sports has the power to focus on abilities, rather than disability,” said Tlhabano.

Meanwhile, the Paralympics Association of Botswana (PASSOBO) spokesperson, Lesley Baleseng, said sport could foster social inclusion and improve the well-being of persons with disabilities.

“It places people on equitable social footings,” he

PWDs, he said, remained under represented in sports and physical activities compared to their peers without disabilities.

Baleseng further called for respect to PWDs, adding that disability rates were rising dramatically, as most experience significant difficulties in body functioning due to illness and accident, adding that even blindness could occur for those with eye problems “so be good to PWDs,” he said.

Baleseng said there was need to promote and protect the rights of PWDs, adding that challenges persist and PWDs remained under-represented in all forms of cultural life, including sports.

He pointed out that with sport and recreation in mind, there would be inclusion and accessibility and active social and active lifestyle would be promoted.

He hailed the event, saying their participation would assist Botswana to be able to contribute to the Olympics and Paralympics Plan, as well as breakdown the PWDs barriers to partake in sports.

Activities of the day included aerobics, adapted athletics, shot-put, adapted boxing, adapted handball and many others.

A seven-year-old girl contestant for Miss Bright Future Botswana to be held in March, said her community project focused on PWDs as she loves them. “I baked scones and bought water as refreshment for the event,” she said.

One of the event sponsors, Alelita Ngonga encouraged PWDs to stay strong and focus more on their unique abilities, saying that would make an excellent platform for strategies of inclusion and adaptation. ENDS