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SPECIAL Olympics Zimbabwe’s assistant sports director Owen Makaruwa said his organisation has now intensified their efforts in identifying participants for their Mattel Young Athletes and Family Programme under the pilot project. The aim of the programme basically is to identify children with intellectual disabilities between the ages of two and seven years so that they are roped into the Special Olympics programmes as they grow older.
“We officially launched the Mattel Young Athletes Programme last month and we have now embarked on an outreach where we are looking at the potential athletes and their families. For a start we are working with Harare, Norton and Chitungwiza areas and various co-coordinators have been dispatched to schools with ECDs, crèches and special schools where they try to get the athletes and families,” said Makaruwa.
While Special Olympics mainly focuses on giving year-round training and participation in sports for people with intellectual disabilities, the Mattel Young Athletes and Family Programme will integrate the normal children and mentally challenged children in sports events.
This is meant to build self-confidence and develop talent, especially among the intellectually challenged children, while encouraging tolerance from the other group.
He said SOZ has already received a positive response from St Catherine, Admiral Tait, Hellenics, Tafara and High Glen areas where children have been introduced to various play and learn games like throwing, catching, skipping, balancing, kicking and sliding.
“Next month on September 26 we should be distributing some of the equipment to the centres as well as holding a demo workshop where we should hold all activities,” said Makaruwa.
Online Reporter