Special Olympics Rwanda fraternity on Friday night hosted players and officials of the team from Germany for dinner and gala night after a successful outing at the 2023 Special Olympics World Games in Berlin.
At the Ubumwe Grande Hotel, Special Olympics Rwanda exhibited the medals acquired from the World Games, which were attended by 190 nations. In an event highlighted by praise, socializing, and gift-giving, it was an excellent opportunity to reaffirm the message that “disability is not inability.”
In his remarks to welcome the guests, Pastor Deus Sangwa was full of compliments in a very joyous manner.
“On this unique evening, a pleasant evening, there aren’t enough words to convey our excitement and happiness on this particular day.”
“We were on a mission to represent the country in the World Games in Berlin, Germany. We did well, chased, and won medals that most of you don’t see in other sports.” Said the chairman of SOR
He continued: “We would like to express our heartfelt gratitude personally to Patience Irafasha for her outstanding accomplishment in the recently ended World Games. Actually, we traveled to Germany in search of gold medals; Patience made us really proud by winning a gold medal in Bocce.”
“I must acknowledge the five ministries that we work with on a daily basis as part of a quest for Inclusion and participation of people with Intellectual Disabilities in Society before I come to an end. The Ministry of Gender and Family Promotion, the Ministry of Local Government, the Ministry of Sports, the Ministry of Health, and the Ministry of Education. They make excellent partners” Pastor Deus Sangwa
Alphonsine Nyiraneza spoke on behalf of the parents and commended Special Olympics Rwanda for assisting them in raising their children
“Actually, we had no idea what these youngsters were capable of. We didn’t know what they were going to do when they left home to train for the World Games, but they did it to make us proud, and it is very obvious that they are now helping not only their families but also the nation.” Said Madam Nyiraneza
Marianne Niyonsaba, an athlete, claims that being successful in sports makes them proud to be children like everyone else in society
“We are appreciative to Special Olympics Rwanda for facilitating our interactions with other children without intellectual Disabilities, allowing us to mingle, have fun, and gain an understanding that people with disabilities are capable despite being excluded for a long time. We get confidence from winning just as the other children do.”
A huge number of athletes and their parents gathered, and there was a gift-giving ceremony in which the athletes delivered gifts to their parents to thank them for not confining them to the backyard to hide their talents
SOR took the opportunity to thank all of its World Games representatives by giving them recognition certificates. They even had a special gift for the Ministry of Sports for the active role it has shown in making the journey possible
In Rwanda, it should be mentioned that only teams of people with impairments contest at the world scale and bring silverware. It is in that vein, Mr. Emmanuel Ndayisaba, Executive Secretary of the National Council of Persons with Disabilities, stated that the government should focus its efforts on the sports that yield results.
