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Fungai Lupande Mashonaland Central Bureau

The Ministry of Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation is training district sports and recreation officers and trainers from the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education on attitude change towards people living with disabilities and promotion of their participation in sporting activities in Mashonaland Central Province.

Ministry of Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation provincial officer Mr Samuel Mashatise said Japanese sporting disciplines like takkyu volleyball, frisbee and bocci, which are easy to play, could be introduced in schools.

“This workshop is a follow-up to a Japan workshop held in July on social participation of people with disabilities through sport,” he said.

“Many people with disabilities are not afforded an opportunity to participate in sport. Sometimes the infrastructure is not user friendly or there is unavailability of sporting facilities. There is also a shortage of qualified personnel like coaches.

“There is segregation, stigmatisation and a negative attitude towards people with disabilities. At school level, there is no inclusion and promotion of sport activities for people with disabilities. Sometimes the immediate family fails to accept the condition of the child with disability.

“The community also fails to take people with disability to sports venues. People with disabilities end up losing interest in participating in sport activities. Sport is a tool to socialise people with disability. It reduces stress, creates friendship, creates employment and a nation can develop through sports.

“Through this workshop we will come up with an action plan to promote participation of people with disabilities in sporting activities. The goal is to have competitions at district level and later at provincial level.”

Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) country representative Mr Shumon Yoshiara said they would continue supporting the ministry in promoting participation of people with disabilities in sport.