Hardly a year after their inception, the proprietors of the Elite Swim and Gym in Ntinda have launched a foundation to promote inclusion in swimming.

The Angels Aquatic Foundation launched on Tuesday by the Minister of State for Disability Hellen Asamo aims at helping children with disabilities to attain overall development in swimming as they also advocate for the inclusion of children with disabilities in swimming.

They intend to do this by providing free access to their facility and free coaching to such a category of children from all schools around Kampala, as they encourage them to participate in swimming competitions, according to Fannie Hitedh,  one of the directors of the foundation.

Minister of State for Disability Hellen Asamo (right) addresses the congregation flanked by Special Olympics Gold medalist Larry Feni during the launch of the Angels Aquatic Foundation at the Elite Swim and Gym in Ntinda, August 1, 2023. Photo by Michael Nsubuga

They also want to ensure equal rights and opportunities for children with special needs through the sport by providing training in adaptive swimming for children with disabilities; giving them continuing opportunities to develop swimming skills, demonstrate courage, experience joy and participate in swimming competitions at global level.

Condelezza Nakazibwe Nyamisanga Thembo who is an upcoming para swimmer who had one of her arms amputated after a car accident is the brand ambassador of the new entity, whose vision is to ‘advocate for the inclusion of children with disability in swimming’.

Asamo encouraged the parents with special needs not to lose hope despite the issues of disability still being backward in the country.

“This is program is a very important thing. This is what we need as people with disabilities because people take us for granted. We don’t need sympathy we need empathy; give us a chance to show the world what we are capable of,” Asamo, who was in the company of the Minister of State for Youth and Children’s Affairs Sarah Mateke and the High Commissioner of India to Uganda Upender Singh Rawat, Olympian for life Julius Acon, Presidential advisor Sam Engola, NCS Chairman Ambrose Tashobya, USF General Secretary Max Kanyerezi among other dignitaries, said.

She appreciated the government for putting in place enabling laws­­ concerning the rights of people with disabilities and accessibility, including children. She promised to follow up with the relevant authorities to ensure special needs athletes like Larry Feni who recently won two gold medals at the Special Olympics World Games are recognised and rewarded.

The Government Chief Whip Hamson Obua, a friend of the proprietor NJ Patel and his wife thanked them for putting up the swimming pool for all levels of swimmers. He congratulated the private sector for putting in such investments that are complementing the efforts of the government. He said the disability movement had made headway and is now talking about inclusion thanks to the government that has set the pace and recognized the disabled, who now have representation in parliament.

“The only disability in life is a bad attitude. If you are disabled, please change the narrative from a bad attitude to a positive mindset, to positive energy because from your disability, there is something you can achieve. Many have achieved and you can also do it,” Obua counseled.

He encouraged disabled children to build their confidence to achieve like other para and Special Olympics athletes that have won medals for the country.

Heer Usadadeer, a son to the proprietors who mooted the idea to start the foundation after he watched a social media page, ‘united through sports’ said what he saw there with disabled people doing gymnastics had him thinking about similar people in Uganda.

“You don’t see many such people doing sport in Uganda and I thought we should make swimming more accessible for disabled people also since we are trying to do that with this facility,” Usadadeer said.

“I want to see all types of people, even of different races, abilities, and genders flourishing at this facility,”

Nakazibwe, 10, the brand ambassador said she was honoured to be the brand ambassador and that the foundation had given children with disabilities a voice to be heard, ‘since whenever we go for galas we are made to compete with people who don’t have disabilities which is unfair to me’.

“I want to thank the founders because they have given us a facility where we can compete against ourselves, and I’m ready to inspire and encourage children with disabilities to do sports because I know we can get the swimming skills as well as the other sports’ skills,” Nakazibwe stated.

Over sh10m was pledged by the different people including Engola and Charles Mbiire who each pledged sh3m in support of the foundation.