When I first met Sajida, I was struck by how full of life, energetic and resilient she was. I couldn’t believe that not only did she have an intellectual disability, she had a hearing disability as well.  

We first met in 2018, at our training camps where we were preparing for the 2019 Special Olympics World Summer Games held in Abu Dhabi. During this time, I learned many things from Sajida. She became my teacher. She thought me basic sign language, which helped us a lot on the court. Whenever I got anxious and nervous, she would send me a reassuring signal to help me stay calm and concentrate on the task at hand.

Her simple gestures and bright smile were like antidotes to my anxiety during our matches. She never gave up, and always kept our spirits and morale high with her positive attitude and unwavering belief in our ability as a team to do our country proud. Thanks to her amazing spirit and grit, we won a Gold medal for our country. I was in disbelief. It was a life-changing experience for both of us and because of this, we now share a unique bond that is hard to describe.

I returned from the World Games with a renewed sense of purpose. I felt that I can and should do all that is within my power to support people with intellectual disabilities. I have seen first-hand how much people with intellectual disabilities can achieve, and now realize the potential they have to do more for themselves and our society.

Motivated and inspired, I started working closely with the Special Olympics Pakistan team, to get involved in not only sports activities, but all others that would help promote inclusion for people with intellectual disabilities in my country.

In 2019, I was nominated to take part in the Youth For Inclusion Summit held in Singapore, a youth leadership summit organized by Special Olympics Asia Pacific for young people with and without intellectual disabilities across the region to co-create ideas for inclusion. This time, my partner was Maham Zehra, another amazing athlete.

During the summit, I worked closely with Maham and I could see that she had the potential to be a great leader. We worked together to come up with ideas to promote inclusion in our country using technology. I was bowled over by her creativity and confidence as she pitched her idea to the panel of judges and the entire auditorium of youth leaders. When it was announced that our proposal was among the top five, we were over the moon!

Looking back now, Maham has transformed from a shy individual to a confident leader, motivated to bring a change in our society. It’s so inspiring to see how people with intellectual disabilities, just like any one of us, rise to the challenge when we empower and encourage them. All it takes is an inclusive environment for us grow and develop at our own pace.

Maham and I have since continued to work together to come up with ideas to advocate for the rights of people with intellectual disabilities, with the support of the Special Olympics movement. I am so happy that I got a chance to make such amazing friends. It has been an amazing journey, but I know that this is just the start, there is a lot more that we need to do. Inclusion is the future!

The post Inclusion is the Future appeared first on Human RACE.

From a young age, Jack enjoyed spending time with Special Olympics athletes and other volunteers who always made him feel included and welcomed. These experiences fostered Jack’s belief in the power of sports to promote inclusion, where every individual is able to participate in a sport or activity they enjoy. Following his mother’s footsteps, Jack is now an official Special Olympics coach for swimming and basketball since 2015.

In acknowledgement of his leadership potential that extends beyond sports, Jack was selected to represent Special Olympics New Zealand at the Special Olympics Asia Pacific Youth for Inclusion Summit in 2019. The Summit has reinforced his firm desire to spread awareness on intellectual disability and inclusion.

The post Jack Green appeared first on Human RACE.

In 2017, Dacki was offered a scholarship to be trained in the Visual Graphic Design field, and is now a licensed Visual Graphic Designer. He has been actively engaged with Special Olympics Philippines for the past 14 years, and served as a member of the Special Olympics Asia Pacific Regional Youth Input Council 2018-2019.

As a champion of inclusive employment, Dacki was a speaker on the topic of ‘Increasing Post-School Opportunities’ and was part of the organising committee member of the Special Olympics Asia Pacific Youth for Inclusion summit 2019. He also sits on Plan International’s Youth Advisory Panel, funded by the Youth Employment Funders Group. Dacki has been employed as a Human Resources (Recruitment) professional at a multi-national company since February 2018.

The post Carmelo Sebastian (Dacki) Sandiego appeared first on Human RACE.

In 2017, Dacki was offered a scholarship to be trained in the Visual Graphic Design field, and is now a licensed Visual Graphic Designer. He has been actively engaged with Special Olympics Philippines for the past 14 years, and served as a member of the Special Olympics Asia Pacific Regional Youth Input Council 2018-2019.

As a champion of inclusive employment, Dacki was a speaker on ‘Increasing Post-School Opportunities’ and organising committee member of the Special Olympics Asia Pacific Youth for Inclusion summit 2019, and also sits on Plan International’s Youth Advisory Panel, funded by the Youth Employment Funders Group. Dacki is currently employed as a Human Resources (Recruitment) professional at a multi-national company since February 2018.

The post Carmelo Sebastian (Dacki) Sandiego appeared first on Human RACE.

The post Youth for Inclusion 2019 appeared first on Human RACE.

My parents enrolled me in a play group. Back then, I couldn’t sit still and often fought with the other children. The teachers could not control my aggressive and hyperactive behaviour. For a long time, my parents thought that this was normal. They had no one to turn to for help on how to handle children with intellectual disabilities.

But things got out of control. There were frequent complaints about me from teachers and other parents. I would injure other children. I would also come home with bruises and bite marks from fighting with others.

Mum turned down a Government job offer so that she could spend more time with me. Often, she would take me to parks and let me play with a ball. Helping me expend my energy reduced my aggression. Mum also spent a lot of effort teaching me simple tasks like buttoning my shirt and tying my shoelaces. It was difficult for me, but Mum taught me never to give up. 

People called me pagal (lunatic in Hindi). Some acquaintances told Mum to place me in a hospital for people with mental disorders. They said things to her like, “Why invest energy in disciplining and guiding him? He will never improve.” Even my own father questioned why my mother was doing so much for me. Close relatives stopped inviting us for parties and gatherings. They just didn’t know how to deal with my behavior.

My parents took me to see a doctor. At the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, I was found to have lower than normal IQ. I was referred to the Mata Bhagwanti Chadha Niketan, a school for children with disabilities in Noida. Through the school, I found out about Special Olympics in India. I was started on various sports programs so that I would channel my energy in a constructive and meaningful way.

Since I joined Special Olympics Bharat in 2008 at the age of 13, I have tried cricket, cycling, and softball. I was given the opportunity to take part in various local competitions. As I got more medals, I became a local hero in my school. It felt nice to be celebrated for my abilities. It boosted my confidence.

Soon, my sports journey went beyond the borders of India. In 2013, I represented the country in cricket at the Special Olympics Asia Pacific Regional Games in Australia and took home a silver medal. I was also vice-captain of the softball team that represented India at the Special Olympics World Summer Games in Los Angeles in 2015.

Beyond the sports field, I have been part of the Special Olympics Asia Pacific Athlete Input Council since 2017, lending my voice to advocate for people with intellectual disabilities. I’ve also been on the global stage to voice my ideas on how to promote a more inclusive world at events such as the Special Olympics Youth Summit in Shanghai, the Global Athlete Congress in Santa Domingo, and the 50th anniversary celebrations of the Special Olympics movement in Chicago in 2018. Back home, I have helped to train and inspire other athletes, both with and without intellectual disabilities in football and cricket.

Sports has changed my life. Training has taught me discipline, independence and given me the confidence to speak up for myself and for others with intellectual disabilities.

It is ironic that I used to not speak a word. Today, I want the world to know my story, and to realize that people with intellectual disabilities are not to be avoided or discriminated against. I believe that if we persist, we can overcome all odds and change the world. My personal mantra is “Yes, I can!”

The post Yes, I can appeared first on Human RACE.