Special Olympics Uganda has celebrated Uganda’s four gold medals at the Special Olympics World Games in Berlin by organising a Christmas and New Year party for the athletes.

Uganda’s team won four medals; two golds from swimmer Larry Feni, and two silvers from table tennis player Cleopatra Bulaga and from the unified football team. 

The board chairman of Special Olympics Uganda Ruth Ssebatindira said the significance of the party was to celebrate ‘our community, our spirit and our team that participated in the world games’.

The athletes first participated in mini-games before they were hosted to a luncheon, in between dances as they enjoyed their day.

Special needs players engage in a basketball game before they enjoyed a Christmas party organised by the Specail Olympics Uganda at Hill Preparatory School, December 14, 2023. Photo by Michael Nsubuga

“We wanted to thank our athletes and shine a light on the force of what we can accomplish as human kind; to put our minds and other things together to remove some of the barriers that prevent us from growing as individuals especially in our community as intellectually disabled people,” Ssebatindira noted.

She thanked NCS for bankrolling their travels outside the country because it is through such events that the athletes can compete and win and even be exposed to other things outside Uganda.

“Our agenda is to use sports to bridge the gaps that are created by the stigma that comes along as a result of one being intellectually disabled.

“It is laser-focused and we approach it with several partners to help us go into the community, work with schools, and families to get out children that are suffering or have symptoms of intellectual disability,” she said.

The National Director of Special Olympics Uganda Genevieve Bamwidhukire said the party was also to celebrate the tremendous achievements they achieved in the year.

The board chairman Special Olympics Uganda Ruth Ssebatindira. Photo by Michael Nsubuga

“We represented Uganda at the World Games and we brought medals, so we are celebrating our achievement for the year. We have also managed to partner with different organisations, government, and the NGO world has supported us so we needed to celebrate our achievements that our athletes have been able to post,” Bamwidhukire stated.

“We have organized this function to celebrate our own because as an organisation and as a team we have not been celebrated by Uganda.

“Going forward, we need to do a lot of networking, create a lot of awareness regarding inclusion and sports because Uganda still has a lot to learn regarding people with intellectual disability’s participation in sports,”.

She said they had embarked on preparing teams that will represent the country at the next World Games in Italy in 2025.

Gladys Namubiru, the mother of footballer Amjad Mawanda of Hannah International School said his son had benefited a lot from the Special Olympics ever since he was assessed because he now has self-confidence, and can approach life’s challenges without fear, on top of boosting his football career.

“He now plays without fear and at school he was recognized and recruited on the team because of his abilities. This year he has become a different player and he also loves what he is doing,” Namubiru stated.