14 Aug 2014

A T & T travel and tours has donated soccer balls and training kits to the Western region Special Olympic team.

Handing over the donation in Hukuntsi recently, the company director Talita Monnakgotla said that Special Olympics has made a significant difference in the lives of thousands of athletes with disability as it has given them an opportunity to express joy and experience success.

Monnakgotla said that programs like Special Olympics need to be fully supported since they provide the disabled individuals with a platform to showcase their ability and talents.

She said Special Olympics has been a format that has demonstrated the skill, courage and athletic ability of disabled athletes, and Special Olympians have set incredible standards for themselves therefore needed to be fully supported.

She described sport as an avenue for changing community values around the world to improve attitudes toward intellectually disabled people.

Monnakgotla highlighted that many disabled people do not get the services they need to be active members of the community and there are attitudinal barriers that prevent people from accepting intellectually disabled people as full members of society.

The involvement of disabled individuals in sports is a key factor towards destroying attitudinal barriers that exists in some of the communities, she added.

“Seeing people with intellectual disabilities participate in sports puts them in a new light as they can be robust, active members of society,” she said.

Makgakgane Primary School headteacher, Sentebanye Molatole applauded A T & T Monnakgotla for the noble gesture of donating towards sports improvement in the country.

She said the donated items would assist tremendously in preparing the Western Region team to prepare for the National competitions scheduled for Lobatse.

Molatole pleaded with parents to fully rally behind their children’s participation in sports and motivate them to realise their talents. ENDS