Wheelchair Handball is one of a new sport that was introduced in the country in 2014 for people with disabilities, by the Sierra Leone Handball Association.
As the sport continues to grow rapidly among the physically challenged, two female players have called on the government and non-profit organizations to support them with wheelchairs.
The Chairperson for the WHA Aminata Turay, when speaking to Women in Sports, stated that the sport was introduced to remove people with disabilities from the streets and transform them to become better persons instead of them begging in the streets of Freetown.
She continued that even though they had the vision to promote the sport, they are constrained with funding and training equipment.
“Our biggest challenges are funding and wheelchairs for training” She concluded.
Mamie Sheriff is one of the female players who made her living by begging in the central part of the capital Freetown.
According to her, life has been full of constraint and she has gone through a lot on the streets.
“I am happy to be part of the wheelchair team” she exclaimed with a smiling expression on her face.
She added since becoming part of the Sport, she has been seeing life from different perspectives as she has a reason to live, ending that she is ready to inspire other people with her playing skills.
“I have experienced a lot of changes since taking up Sports and now I can boast of playing Handball and Table Tennis” she stated.
Mamie continued that even though they have been encouraged and supported by the Sierra Leone Handball Association, they are going through challenges in acquiring funding and training equipment’s.