LEADING THROUGH SPORTS

A more Inclusive Nepal Through the Power of Sports

June 2016

With the support of Produced by Embassy of Switzerland ENGAGE

“Obstacles don’t have to stop you. If you run into a wall, don’t turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it.”

- Michael Jordan, basketball icon (player, 1984-2003) First Edition June, 2016 Author, Simone Galimberti

Disclaimer on the sources of information This Booklet uses information collected from different websites and other secondary sources. While we acknowledge the importance of these sources, we are aware of some of the limitations attached to them. We tried, in the best of our capacity to verify and ensure their accuracy too. We regret for any mistake if any. If you find any, we would appreciate if you can notify us at [email protected]. The Booklet will be a “living document” that will be improved and revised over time. Foreword

We discovered the magic of sports a few years ago. Since then sports playing has become a central component of the work being carried out by ENGAGE. We soon realized that sports playing can be a real game changer in the lives of persons with disabilities, helping to enhance their physical and mental wellbeing. Sport also is a great platform to ensure their personal development and overall leadership. Through sports, you can learn about sacrifice, commitment, grit and respect all elements that help build the foundations a person’s character. Then if you play in a team based sports you also learn about how to deal with a group, sorting out differences with your teammates. Moreover sports can be considered as an “equalizer” as while kicking a ball or running on a track, we are all the same. As barriers magically fall sports helps discover the real essence of humanity.

With this booklet we talk about disabilities in a different way through the lenses of sports. We hope that by reading this, students will not only embrace sports but also will start looking at disabilities through a new lens. The new Constitution represents an important milestone to make Nepal more inclusive and disabled friendly. Now the real challenge lies in the implementation, in taking up actions to create the desired changes, to ensure that also persons with disabilities can have a proper role in society. The State must put into practice new measures to recognize rights and special needs.

At ENGAGE we believe that sports playing is one of the best and yet untapped ways to improve the living conditions of persons with disabilities. Certainly sports alone are not enough and for this reason ENGAGE is working more and more in the field of personal development, employability skills enhancement, helping youths with disabilities to connect with opportunities in the market. This Booklet has been prepared as a result of the Turkish Airlines ENGAGE Empowering League, the first competitive wheelchair basketball League in Nepal and as a way to create anew understanding regarding disabilities in the country.

We thank and acknowledge the Embassy of Switzerland in Nepal who provided indispensable resources not only to make this Booklet possible but also to help implement the League. Thanks for believing in us.

In the year of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, we hope that this Booklet will help generate a new wave of interest in the transformational power of sports to make Nepal a more inclusive nation.

Last but not least few special thanks: Michael Rosenkrantz, Senior Pro Bono Advisor at ENGAGE for editing the booklet, Meenraj Panthee, a social activist and disability expert who provided critical reading and Sabine Piccard, Associate Expert at the Embassy of Switzerland to Nepal who has been following the entire production of the booklet.

Kalpana Gurung Founder of ENGAGE

NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR

This Booklet is divided in nine sections, offering a journey to understand disabilities through the lens of sports playing. We are well aware that while talking about disabilities, we try to offer simple but clear notions related to disabilities precise choice of offer basic but clear information about it. The overall goal of this booklet is not to provide a detailed explanation about disabilities (there are already many technical resources available) but rather to create a sense of amazement by looking at the gestures of leading athletes with disabilities. We believe this is another way to offer a basic understanding of disabilities while at the same time we have proposed some concrete actions at the local level by setting up All Inclusive Empowering Clubs, as informal groups to create awareness about disabilities at the grassroots level.

Achieving inclusion and equity is not something that can be done with the stroke of a magic wand. This Booklet is a first step towards a long journey to make persons understand that disability is also about a great amount of potential still untapped. Sports playing can help in that. We hope you will enjoy!

Simone Galimberti Co-Founder of ENGAGE

SECTIONS Section 1 Dis(cover)abilities A general overview of disabilities aiming at understanding key concepts 1

Section 2: The Power of Sports A brief explanation of the transformative power of sports, also covering basic information about global inclusive sports events 7

Section 3: Succeeding Through Sports Examples of international and national Paralympics athletes, showing how through sports they became successful 15

Section 4: It’s not only About Sports Stories of famous persons from different fields who proved how their disabilities did not prevent them from becoming leaders 20

Section 5: Transformational Sports Summary of the positive changes that are possible if you play sports 22

Section 6: A Call for Action A practical way to engage students and youth at local levels to make the country more inclusive 24

Section 7: Summary of Learnings A brief summary of the major learnings 26

Section 8: Online and Other Resources Major resources on disabilities available on the internet 27

SECTION 9: RULES OF WHEELCHAIR BASKETBALL 28

Section 10: About Turkish Airlines ENGAGE Empowering League and ENGAGE A brief explanation about the League and ENGAGE 29

SECTION 1: Dis(cover)- ABILITIES Learning Goal: enable the reader to have a comprehensive though simple understanding of disability and related issues

Having a disability is not a bad thing. It can even be something to be proud of. We are all different and have different ABILITIES.

Victor Santiago Pineda

About Victor Victor born on November 17, 1978 is a social development scholar and disability rights advocate. He served as the youngest government delegate to participate in the drafting of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and thereafter launched the World Enabled Global Initiative, a program that combines the reach of the world’s most active disabled persons’ organizations (DPOs) and intergovernmental agencies. He also launched the Pineda Foundation. At the age of two, Pineda was hospitalized with a high fever and for the next five years he demonstrated gradual weakening of his skeletal muscles. His muscular deterioration would continue and eventually affect his breathing. By the time he started his doctoral program in his late-twenties, he required a ventilator twenty-four hours per day. As a child, Pineda was diagnosed with Spinal muscular atrophy, a form of muscular dystrophy though there is still uncertainty about the causes https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victor_Pineda_%28activist%29

INTRO: WHO ARE PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES? Before starting this journey to better understand disabilities, let’s clarify what we mean by the word disability. Though in this booklet, we refer mostly to persons with physical disabilities, it is essential to fully grasp who are persons with disabilities.

1 LEARNING No. 1 Who are persons with disabilities? Persons with disabilities are those who have long-term physical, mental, intellectual or sensory impairments which in interaction with various barriers may hinder their full and effective participa tion in society on an equal basis with others (Convention on the Rights of Persons living with Disabilities)

We have learned that there are many types of disabilities: there are persons with physical disabilities, there are persons with mental or intellectual disabilities but do they all have the same RIGHTS like persons without disabilities? Unfortunately the answer is NO!

LEARNING No. 2: Different types of Disabilities Physical Disability: A physical impairment might be defined as a disabling condition or other health impairment that requires adaptation. Mobility impairment is defined as a category of disability that includes people with varying types of physical disabilities. This type of disability includes upper or lower limb loss or disability, manual dexterity and disability in co-ordination with different organs of the body. Disability in mobility can either be congenital or acquired with age problem. This problem could also be the consequence of disease. People who have a broken skeletal structure also fall into this category of disability. (From http://www.disabled-world.com/disability/types/mobility/)

Developmental disability: “Developmental Disabilities” is an umbrella term that includes intellectual disability and other disabilities that are apparent during the childhood.

Developmental disabilities are severe chronic disabilities that can be cognitive or physical or both. The disabilities appear before the age of 22 and are likely to be lifelong .Development disabilities include ASD (autism spectrum disorders), epilepsy, cerebral palsy, developmental delay, fetal alcohol syndrome (or FASD) and other disorders that occur during the developmental period (birth to age 18).

(From https://aaidd.org/intellectual-disability/definition/faqs-on-intellectual-disability)

See Learning Box no. 10 to know more about Intellectual Disabilities.

LEARNING No. 3: What is disability? • Disability is a condition, NOT A DISEASE • Disability is about BARRIERS created by society that block persons with impairments from fully and effectively PARTICIPATING in society

HOW MANY VICTORS DO YOU KNOW? At the beginning of this session, we met Victor, a worldwide renowned activist who fought for his rights to prove to society that a person with disabilities can succeed at life like many other people. Yet here we would like to challenge you:

1) How many Victors do you know in your life?

2 2) How many persons with disabilities do you personally know or have heard about who achieved what Victor did? If not many persons come to your mind, then, ask yourself why!

Of course there are less persons with disabilities around than able-bodied persons, but there are also a lot of persons with disabilities everywhere.

LEARNING No. 4: Some basic data • There are over one billion people with disabilities in the world, of whom between 110-190 million experience very significant difficulties. This corresponds to about 15% of the world population (World Disability Report and World Bank, 2011 http://www.who.int/disabilities/world_report/2011/factsheet.pdf) • The day to day life of around 25 per cent of the world’s population is affected by disabilities • In Nepal the official data shows that persons with disabilities are 513,321 equivalents to 1.94 % of the entire population (National Census)

FIGHTING PERCEPTIONS AND STEREOTYPES Often times the ways we look at things or persons around us are influenced by our surroundings and are reinforced by certain beliefs or ideas. When we meet someone or find something new, we develop an immediate, almost spontaneous idea of this person or object. This is how a perception is formed though many other factors also come into play. Sometimes we hear some opinions or judgments of others that influence our thinking. Then it is easy to stick with perceptions that slowly become fixed beliefs or ideas.

LEARNING No. 5: Definition of Perception and Stereotype Definition of Perception: The ability to see, hear, or become aware of something through the senses

Definition of Stereotype: A widely held but fixed and oversimplified image or idea of a particular type of person or thing; A person or thing that conforms to a widely held but oversimplified image of the class or type to which they belong From http://www.oxforddictionaries.com

When we think of disabilities in Nepal, many prejudices arise often related to cultural or religious beliefs. In short we tend to underestimate the potential and real capacities of a persons with disabilities. How many of you have thought of disabilities as something negative, something that has huge limitations and constraints?

3 Exercise 1: Take your time and think for 1 minute. List below what comes to your mind when you think of disabilities:

Negative Connotations about disabilities Positive Connotations about disabilities

Exercise 2: How many persons with disabilities do you know? Do you have any friends or family members with disabilities? Do you know any person with disabilities in your area?

Among your family and close relationships Within your neighboured/ward

No.______No.______

While persons with disabilities are equal to everybody else, governments around the world have recognized that persons with disabilities have also special needs and therefore additionalRIGHTS have been entrusted upon them.

LEARNING No. 6: Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities or CRPD • The Convention is the most important international legal instrument orLAW signed by many countries, including Nepal that approved the Convention on 7 May 2010. • The Convention has 50 binding articles related to the general obligations of its signatories, including the importance of creating awareness about disabilities, principles of equality and non discrimination and, right to education, justice and right to dignified livelihoods. • In reference to the importance of sports, Art. 30.5 talks about recreational, leisure and sport activities that persons with disabilities must enjoy

To make it short: • The Convention spells out the UNDENIABLE human and economic, social and political RIGHTS of persons with disabilities • The Convention calls for fullPARTICIPATION of persons with disabilities in the society. • The Convention calls for dismantling all the types ofBARRIERS faced by persons with disabilities.

4 Exercise 3: You know what a barrier is, right? Think of one in your life, something that makes your daily life a bit complicated, it could be a school subject, a relationship with someone or maybe a characteristic of your character like shyness. Now think if you were a person with disabilities, which barriers would you face on a daily basis? List out the barriers below:

BARRIERS

Your current daily barriers If I were a person with disabilities….

Exercise no. 4 List out perceived problems faced by persons with disabilities in Nepal 1______

2______

3______

4______

5______

Add more:

LEARNING No. 7: Reasonable Accommodation To accommodate: to adopt, fit, or adjust one thing or person to another thing or person (Oxford Dictionary) The principle of “reasonable accommodation” means that we, the Government, the Society and corporate sector, must take necessary and appropriate actions or adjustments not imposing a disproportionate or undue burden, wherever is to ensure to persons with disabilities the enjoyment or exercise on an equal basis with others of all human rights and fundamental freedoms’.

5 Exercise 5: What can be done to reasonably “accommodate” the disability needs of persons with disability? List out what you, your family/friends and the State can do to improve the living conditions of persons with disabilities.

ACTIONS THAT CAN BE TAKEN AT DIFFERENT LEVELS

At my personal level With my family/friends State/Government Corporate Sector

No.1:

No.2:

No.3:

Others

Keep in mind the list you wrote. We will come back to this in our last section. ______

This is the end of Section 1. What did you learn? ______

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6 SECTION 2: The Power of Sports Learning Goal: enable the reader to understand how sports playing can have a huge impact in the lives of persons with disabilities.

WHAT SPORTS CAN DO • Bring people together: SPORTS as a “BRIDGE”, bringing together persons from different backgrounds and with different stories like youths with and without disabilities. • Create equality: While playing sports, we are all on the same level and despite the differences in each of us, we become all EQUAL • Learn about yourself: While practicing a sport, you TEST yourself, you come to know better not only your limitations but also your unexplored potential • Learn about others: Through Sports, we learn about respecting each other. This is especially true when you play in a team sport where you need to handle relationships with your team members

7 THE WHEELCHAIR BASKETBALL MEN’S FINAL LONDON 2012 PARALYMPIC GAMES

The final game of the wheelchair basketball tournament at the London 2012 Paralympic Games was an amazing show, played before more than ten thousand people. The two biggest teams, Australia and Canada played in the final game. The favourites were the Australian team but instead Canada won!!!

DISABILITIES AND SPORTS: THE LINK • Sports are an essential tool to harness the fitness and wellbeing of persons with disabilities • Sports are a fantastic medium to showcase what a persons with disabilities can do • Sports are a unique bridge to create between persons with disabilities and persons without disabilities bonds. • Persons with physical disabilities participate in the Paralympics Games while persons with intellectual disabilities participate in the Special Olympics Games.

8 LEARNING No. 8: The Paralympics Games Almost everybody knows that the Olympic Games are the most important sports competition in the world. They are so important that they are organized only once every four years in a town selected through a global competition. Few people know that the Olympic Games have a twin game, the so called Paralympics games that are sports competitions for persons with physical disabilities. The Paralympics Games are played in two different events: one targeting summer disciplines and the other one for winter disciplines.

The last Summer Paralympics Games were held in London and they were a great success with athletes representing 164 nations, 2.7 million spectators and the involvement of 20.000 Volunteers. The last Win ter Paralympics Games were held in Sochi, Russia in March 2014 with 45 nations participating and overall 547 athletes involved. There were over 316,200 spectators.

Disciples: Summer Games: Archery, Boccia, IPC Athletics, Badminton, Canoe, Cycling, Equestrian, Football 5 a side, Football 7 a side, GoalBall, Judo, IPC Power Lifting, Rowing, Sailing, IPC Shooting, Sitting Volleyball, IPC Swimming, Table Tennis, Taekwondo, Triathlon, Wheelchair Basketball, IPC Wheelchair Dance Sport, Wheelchair Fencing, Wheelchair Rugby, Wheelchair Tennis.

Winter Games: IPC Alpine Skiing, IPC Biathlon, IPC Cross Country Skiing, IPC Ice Sledge Hockey, IPC Snowboard, Wheelchair Curling

In the Learning Box no.11 you will learn about Games related to persons with intellectual disabilities, the Special Olympics Games

Exercise no.6 Find on the internet some examples of outstanding athletes with disabilities How many of them are from Nepal?

______

______

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9 LEARNING No. 9: Rio 2016 Paralympics Games This will be the first time that the Paralympics games will be hosted in Latin America. Here are some numbers and information for the upcoming games: • 4,350 athletes representing 176 countries • 23 Paralympics sports • 528 events • 11 days of competitions • 225 medals for women, • 265 for men • 38 mixed (male and female together) medals • 50, 000 volunteers to be mobilized • 11,000 schools involved in “Transforma” Awareness Program (https://www.rio2016. com/educacao/en/

A little comparison between Paralympics Games and Olympics Games Despite the Paralympics Games are growing and becoming bigger and bigger, they still lag behind in comparison with the Olympic Games. Just to have an idea in the Olympic Games of Rio there will be more than 10.000 athletes representing 200 nations. You can really see the big difference between the two games. What does it mean in terms of social inclusion? It means that there is still a huge room for improvement to invest more in inclusive sports practices; that it is still very difficult for a person living with disability to have the same chance of practicing sports as persons without disabilities do; that budget allocation in developing countries allow them to send very small delegations to the Paralympics Games. Moreover there are still more men competing in the Paralympics Games than women. This is an important indicator in terms of gender disparities within the disability sector. In short women with disabilities have less opportunity than their male counterparts to practice and enjoy sports.

SPORTS FOR PERSONS WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES

Sports are for everybody. If Paralympics are for persons living with disabilities, then there are special games for those persons with and developmental disabilities.

10 LEARNING No. 10 What are intellectual disabilities? Intellectual disability (or ID) is a term used when a person has certain limitations in cognitive functioning and skills, including communication, social and self-care skills. These limitations can cause a child to develop and learn more slowly or differently than a typically developing child. Intellectual disability can happen any time before a child turns 18 years old, even before birth.

Intellectual disability is the most common developmental disability. According to the American Association of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, an individual has intellectual disability if he or she meets three criteria: 1. IQ is below 70-75 2. There are significant limitations in two or more adaptive areas (skills that are needed to live, work, and play in the community, such as communication or self-care) 3. The condition manifests itself before the age of 18. (from http://www.specialolympics.org/Sections/Who_We_Are/What_Is_ Intellectual_Disability.aspx

For more info, please refer to Learning Box no.2

11 LEARNING No. 11: The Special Olympics

Special Olympics is the leading voice in raising awareness about the abilities of people with intellectual disabilities.The founder of the Special Olympic Games is the American Eunice Kennedy Shriver who wanted to take actions against the unfair, unjust treatment of persons with intellectual disabilities. The first games were held on 20th July 1968 when the first Internal Special Olympics Summer Games were held at Soldier Field in Chicago, Illinois, USA.

Special Olympics transforms lives through the joy of sport, every day, everywhere. It is the world’s largest sports organization for people with intellectual disabilities: with more than 4.5 million athletes in 170 countries -- and millions more volunteers and supporters. Through both summer and winter sports the Special Olympics showcase the skills and dignity of the participating athletes, bringing together communities to see and take part in the transformative power of sports. The Special Olympics are held every two years, alternating with Summer and Winter Games.

The last Summer Special Olympic Games were held in Los Angeles and saw the participation of 6,500 Special Olympics athletes from 165 nations. Nepal wasalso represented with a small but very strong team of athletes like Sharma Indra winning the silver medal in the long jump while Pradeep Adhikari won the bronze in the 200 M. Very importantly Ashish Deuja won gold playing in the unified football tournament

The next Special Olympics World Winter Games will be held in Graz and Schladming, Austria in 2017 with almost 3,000 Special Olympics athletes from 110 nations to compete in nine Olympic-type winter sports. The hosting city of the next Summer Special Olympics Games has not been announced yet.

Disciplines: Summer Games: Aquatics, Athletics, Badminton, Basketball, Bocce, Bowling, Cycling, Equestrian, Football, Golf, Gymnastics (artistic and rhythmic, Handball, Judo, Power lifting, Roller Skating, Sailing, Softball, Table Tennis, Tennis, Volleyball

Winter Games: Alpine Skiing, Cross- Country Skiing, Floor-ball, Floor Hockey, Short track speed skating, Snowboarding, Snowshoeing, Speed-skating

12 LEARNING No. 12: Unified Sports, where Nepal has won a gold medal

Nepali athletes Pradip Adhikari, Indra Sharma, Ashish Deuja, Monica Karki and Deepa Niraula pose for a group photograph during the Special Olympics World Games at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles

Few people know that Ashish Deuja, in the picture with the yellow t-shirt won a gold medal in the unified football tournament at the Special Olympic Games (summer) in Los Angeles. You might wonder what is Unified Sports? It is a new way where people with and without intellectual disabilities play on the same team, forging new friendships and promoting at the same time social inclusion. In Unified Sports the team members are of similar age and ability. Unified Sports can be played at competitive, development and recreational levels, offering a wide spectrum of options that allows the players also to develop their skills. You can play Unified Sports in disciplines like basketball, volleyball, football, bocce, golf and tennis

For more information: http://www.playunified.org/ http://thehimalayantimes.com/sports/nepal-wrap-up-special-olympics-world-games- with-three-medals-in-la/

13 This is the end of Section 2. What did you learn?

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14 SECTION 3: Succeeding through Sports Learning Goal: help the reader understand the achievements of Paralympic athletes worldwide and in Nepal

We are now starting a journey with some real life champions. You have probably never heard of them, at least not yet. Through the stories of these champions, you will learn a few basic leadership and personal development abilities that, if practiced, can bring you to the next level of LIFE SUCCESS.

Story no. 1 Terezinha Guilhermina

“The next medal is always more important than the current one.”

Sport Athletics Country Brazil Gender Woman Age 37 Place of Birth Minas Gerais

Terezinha’s Achievements: • Gold medal in the women’s 200 metres - T11 event, a silver medal in the women’s 100 metres - T11 event and a bronze medal in the women’s 400 metres - T12 event in 2008 Paralympics in Beijing • Gold and world record in 100 m at London Paralympics Games, 2012 For more information: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terezinha_Guilhermina

15 Terezinha’s Story Terezinha Guilhermina (born 3 October 1978) is a Paralympic athlete from Brazil competing mainly in category T11 sprint events. (T11 being the category for totally blind athletes.) She competed in the 2004 Summer Paralympics in Athens, Greece. There she won a bronze medal in the women’s 400 metres - T12 event, went out in the first round of the women’s 800 metres - T12 event and finished seventh in the women’s 1500 metres - T12 event. She also competed at the 2008 Summer Paralympics in Beijing, China. There she won a gold medal in the women’s 200 metres - T11 event, a silver medal in the women’s 100 metres - T11 event and a bronze medal in the women’s 400 metres - T12 event

Story no. 2 Shingo Kunieda

“I worked so hard so I could come and win. It was my dream to come here and it has become a reality”

Sport Tennis Country Japan Gender Male Age 32 Place of Birth Tokyo

Shingo’s Achievements: • Gold at following Paralympics games (London, 2012, Beijing, 2008, Athens, 2004) • 24 Grand Slam ( most prestigious tennis tournaments) For more information: http://shingokunieda.com/en/profile/

16 Shingo’s Story Shingo Kunieda has been in a wheelchair since he was 9, owing to a tumor he had in his spinal cord. The tumor left his lower body paralysed. However, he was a person who wanted to progress and achieve. He graduated from Reitaku University in Japan, and besides his successful career in tennis he also works for the university.

Shingo Kunieda is a model of what people with a lot of determination and inspiration can do to attain the heights in sports like tennis, playing in a wheelchair. The tennis player who is famous for a lot of prizes, among which ITF world champion titles for several consecutive years, from 2007 to 2010, can also boast titles like the Grand Slam in 2009 and in 2010, to name but a few. People following his sporting feats also know that Shingo Kunieda is the only player who can boast the retaining of his title in men’s singles in the Paralympic Games.

Story no. 3 “Matt” John Cowdrey

“You only get out what you put in.”

Sport Swimming NPC Australia Gender Male Age 27 Place of Birth Adelaide, AUS

Matt’s Achievements • The most successful Australian Paralympian, Matt captured eight more medals at the 2012 Paralympic Games in London, taking his overall tally to 23 medals including 13 gold. • 16 times world champion in different swimming styles • 3 times winner of the Commonwealth Games For more information: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matthew_Cowdrey

17 Matt’s Story He took up swimming at age five in Adelaide, SA, Australia and began competing at age eight His parents introduced him to swimming lessons so he would be safe in the family pool. Later on, he became addicted to competing against able-bodied swimmers. “It was just always that competitive edge and being able to push myself against the able-bodied competitors that really got me hooked on the sport.” He was born with a congenital amputation below the elbow of his left arm. The challenge of swimming against able-bodied athletes had him hooked on the sport from day one. “When I was pretty young still, in primary school, I was able to make the state ‘able-bodied’ swimming team, with South Australia not being the best and most competitive state, I was able to keep up and win medals.” He says he does not look at himself as a person with an impairment. “It has not stopped me doing anything, except maybe swinging off monkey bars when I was five.” (abc.net.au, ausport.gov.au, 27 Sep 2010)

Story no. 4 Laxmi Kunwar

“Sport is my identity. It is my way to identify myself”

Sport Swimming Country Nepal Gender Female Age 26 Place of Birth Gulmi

For more information: https://www.paralympic.org/static/info/glasgow-2015/ENG/ZB/ZBB101A_ GL2015SW@@@@@@@ENG_number=23720.htm

18 Laxmi’s Achievements • In 2012, she secured third position in the national swimming competition organized by Nepal Spinal Cord Injury Association, NSCISA • In 2014, she participated in Asian Para Games at Korea and represented Nepal where she was among the top 10. • In August 2016 Laxmi will represent Nepal competing with other international players in the Paralympic games in Brazil.

Laxmi’s Story Laxmi has a strong connection with sports and she believes that they are part of her identity. Laxmi is a strong and independent young lady of 26 years old. She is working with the Center for Independent Living (CIL). At the same time, she is a student. Besides her personal and professional life, she manages some times to play sports and encourages other friends to play. She has a passion for swimming and wheelchair basketball and she is actively playing on the NSCISA Wheelchair basketball team. In 2006 Laxmi had an accident and her spine was injured. Laxmi only learned swimming in 2010. The passion for swimming and achievement was really difficult when she first started learning swimming. Laxmi initially had quit from learning swimming but then thanks to her Coach Bishnu Pun, she found the strength to continue and now she is one of the best swimmers in Nepal. Having participated in global sports events, Laxmi realized how important it is to train and to have adequate facilities. Unfortunately it is very difficult to train in Nepal in a proper way and this is one of the reasons why she cannot compete with the best globally. Besides all her commitment, Laxmi is a board member of NSCISA, a leading organization promoting inclusive sports in Nepal.

This is the end of Section 3. What did you learn?

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19 SECTION 4: IT’S NOT ONLY ABOUT SPORTS Learning Goal: help the reader understand that persons with disabilities like able bodied persons can excel in sports as well any other discipline

Throughout this booklet, we are highlighting what sports can do to promote inclusion and empowerment of persons living with disabilities. Yet sports are only one of the many ways to promote and empower persons living with disabilities. There are many examples of persons with disabilities who did not embrace sports and yet they are or were very successful in life. Here are some examples:

Marlee Matlin Marlee Matlin is a stand-up comedian and an actress. Some of her films include A Dead Silence, My Party, Hear No Evil, A Bridge to Silence, A Walker, and Children of A Lesser God. In 1987, she captivated the world by winning the Academy Award for Best Actress in the film Children of a Lesser God. Marlee Matlin became deaf in infancy due to Roseola Infantum. However, deafness has not disabled her or her career. (From http://hcdg.org/famous.htm)

Stephen William Hawking Stephen Hawking, born on 8 January 1942, is an English theoretical physicist, cosmologist, author and Director of Research at the Centre for Theoretical Cosmology within the University of Cambridge.[16][17] His scientific works include a collaboration with Roger Penrose on gravitational singularity theorems in the framework of general relativity, and the theoretical prediction that black holes emit radiation, often called Hawking radiation. Hawking was the first to set forth a theory of cosmology explained by a union of the general theory of relativity and quantum mechanics. He is a vigorous supporter of the many- worlds interpretation of quantum mechanics. Stephen was diagnosed with ALS, a form of Motor Neurone Disease, shortly after his 21st birthday (From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_Hawking )

Stevie Wonder One of the most beloved singers alive today, Stevie Wonder is a musician, singer and songwriter who was born blind. He was born six weeks early. The blood vessels at the back of his eyes had not yet reached the front and aborted their growth, hence his blindness. Considered a child

20 prodigy, Stevie signed with his first record label at age 11, Motown’s Tamla label, and he has been performing since. Over his wildly successful music career, Stevie has recorded more than 30 U.S. top ten hits, including his singles “Superstition,” “Sir Duke” and “I Just Called to Say I Love You.” (From http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/22/ famous-people-with-disabilities_n_4142930.html)

President Franklin Delano Roosevelt A beloved U.S. president who helped guide the nation successfully through World War II, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt is considered a great president and the entire time he was in office, FDR was also a wheelchair-user. Upon starting his political career in gusto, he contracted polio while drinking water at a campground and became paralyzed from the waist down. Even though it wasn’t made public until years later that he couldn’t walk for fear of the public doubting his competency, FDR proved paralysis wasn’t a roadblock to being a great leader. (From http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/22/famous- people-with-disabilities_n_4142930.html)

This is the end of Section 4. What did you learn?

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21 SECTION 5: TRANSFORMATIONAL SPORTS Learning Goal: help the reader realize the positive impact of playing sports on the personal development of an individual. Athletes with disabilities are the perfect examples on the positive changes sports can bring

What can we learn from persons with disabilities playing sports? Now we all know that not only are there a Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi or LeBron James out there but many others athletes that are so successful even though they live with disabilities. Yet media, nationally or internationally always highlights the mainstream champions, forgetting the incredible gestures of incredible athletes with disabilities.

So...

Next time you read news about global millionaire sports stars, you will think of Tetezinha, Shingo, Laxmi and Matt. You know that there are other sports champions equally talented and praiseworthy.

Lesson no. 12: Developing the right attitude “Obliviously there is something more than facilities and competence that makes for accomplishment. I have come to believe that this linking factor, this catalyst, if you will, can be defined in a single word-attitude. When our attitude is right, our abilities reach a maximum of effectiveness and good results inevitably follow”. Professor Erwin H. Schell

There are many ways to develop the right attitudes. But sports, without any doubt, is one of the best to develop and shape the right attitudes because a person learns how to deal with him/herself and with others.

Lesson no. 13: The difference between winning and succeeding Coach John Wooden of UCLA, was one of the greatest basketball coaches in the world. He defined success in a very simple way and you will see that it is much more than winning: “Peace of mind attained only through self-satisfaction in knowing you made the effort to do the best of which you’re capable”. Persons with disabilities, who play sports, are overcoming all of the barriers faced in their daily lives. By doing this, they show how successful they can be at life. Coach Wooden also came up with a pyramid of values and factors that, if followed, help a person to become successful

Watch the TED talk with Coach Wooden: https://www.ted.com/talks/john_wooden_on_the_difference_between_winning_ and_success?language=enFor more information about the Pyramid: http://www. coachwooden.com/pyramid-of-success

22 Lesson no. 14: How to master the art of grit Do you know what grit is? Grit is the ability to never give up despite failures, obstacles and barriers. Athletes with disabilities are master of grit. By getting involved in sports, you learn how to never give up and about making sacrifices.

Watch this TED talk with Angela Lee Duckworth to learn about grit: https://www.ted. com/talks/angela_lee_duckworth_the_key_to_success_grit?language=en

This is the end of Section 5. What did you learn?

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23 SECTION 6: A CALL FOR ACTION, ARE YOU READY TO DO YOUR PART? Learning Goal: offer the readers some concrete options to personally contribute in making the communities more inclusive at local level.

In this section, we want to challenge you. Are you ready?

Before we start, we would like you to go back and see what you had listed out in terms of actions that you, your family/friends and the State, the private sector can do to make the country more inclusive and disable friendly.

Have you checked? Now we would like to see if some of the actions you wrote can actually fit within a PROPOSAL.

Are you ready?

ENGAGE would like you to become a committed citizen to make your country more inclusive and disabled friendly, starting from your own community, where you live or where you study.

Does it make sense? If yes, you might then wonder how and what to do

Here’s the answer:

TAKE INITIATION to establish in your school or community an ALL-INCLUSIVE EMPOWERING CLUB

What is it? It is an informal group to talk and discuss social inclusion and equality. It is inspired to the concept of Gender, Equality and Social Inclusion, GESI. It is very important to not isolate issues related to disabilities from others like gender and many other emerging issues that are driving exclusion and discrimination in the society.

Why “ALL INCLUSIVE”? We want a club to be an example of inclusion, a beacon of hope for a better country for all

Why “EMPOWERING”? Because through the Club, we want to empower youths both with and without disabilities to become leaders.

24 Who are the members? It is made by you, students/teachers/community committed to make a difference, your peers and friends with or without disabilities, members of the sports teams supported by ENGAGE.

What are the Club’s goals? Goal 1: Create awareness about Goal 2: Help ENGAGE recruit new disabilities volunteers

Goal 3: Identify youths and young Goal 4: Support the wheelchair adults with disabilities basketball teams

What will a Club do? Inclusive Sport events in partnership with inclusive sports teams

Support Inclusive sports teams Street Dramas

Walkathons and Rallies Community Interactions

School Presentations

25 SECTION 7: SUMMARY OF THE LEARNINGS LEARNING No. 1 Who are persons with disabilities?: There are several types of disabilities, physical and developmental

LEARNING No. 2: Physical and Developmental Disabilities: A physical impairment might be defined as a disabling condition or other health impairment that requires adaptation. Developmental Disabilities involve cognitive impairments.

LEARNING No. 3: What is disability?: it is not a disease but a condition

LEARNING No. 4: Some basic data: There are over a billion of persons with disabilities around th world (World Disability Report, WHO/WB). In Nepal they represent 1.94% of the entire population according to the National Census, 2011

LEARNING No. 5: Definition of Perception and Stereotype:Perception is the first idea you make of someone or something while a stereotype is a generalization

LEARNING No. 6: Convention on the Rights of Persons with disabilities or CRPD: the international law regarding the rights of persons with disabilities. Nepal is subject to this

LEARNING No. 7: Reasonable Accommodation:it is an obligation for individuals, the society at large and the State to take measures to ensure the rights of persons with disabilities.

LEARNING No. 8: The Paralympics Games: it is the biggest sports event for athletes with physical disabilities.

LEARNING No. 9: The Paralympics Games of Rio de Janeiro: 4,350 athletes from 176 countries will compete this summer in Brazil in 23 sport.

LEARNING No. 10: What are intellectual disabilities? A term used when a person has certain limitations in cognitive functioning and skills, including communication, social and self-care skills.

LEARNING No. 11: The Special Olympic Games: it is the global event for athletes with intellectual disabilities.

LEARNING No. 12: Developing the right attitude: Sports is one of the best ways to develop the right attitude. Athletes with disabilities know a lot about this.

LEARNING No. 13: The difference between winning and succeeding:Succeeding is about giving your best and never giving up

LEARNING No. 14: How to master the art of grit: Grit is always about TRY, TRY, TRY.

26 SECTION 8: ONLINE and OTHER RESOURCES Useful online and other book resources about disability and inclusive sports:- • National Population and Housing Census 2011 (National Report): Central Bureau of Statistics, Nepal (Vol.01.NPHC 2011) • World Disability Report 2011 • Promoting the rights of children with disabilities (Innocenti Digest No.13): UNICEF

Convention on the Rights of Persons living with Disabilities • http://www.un.org/disabilities/convention/conventionfull.shtml

General Information about Disabilities • https://www.un.org/development/desa/disabilities/ • http://worldenabled.org/

Children and Disabilities • http://www.unicef.org/disabilities/

Disabilities and Employment • http://www.businessanddisability.org/index.php/en/

Inclusive Sports • https://www.paralympic.org/ • https://www.paralympic.org/rio-2016 • https://www.rio2016.com/en/paralympics • www.specialolympics.org • https://www.paralympic.org/london-2012 • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uybm74B20i8 (final wheelchair basketball game London 2012 male) • http://www.sportanddev.org/ • http://www.playunified.org/

International Wheelchair Basketball Association • http://www.iwbf.org/

Disabilities in Nepal • http://www.nfdn.org.np/

27 SECTION 9: RULES OF WHEELCHAIR BASKETBALL

The rules of Wheelchair Basketball are broadly similar to mainstream basketball. The court is the same size, the basket is at the same height, and the scoring is identical: two points for a regular shot from open play, one point for each successful free throw and three points for a shot from distance (6.75m from the basket). Players move the ball around the court by passing or dribbling, and are required to throw or bounce the ball after every two pushes of the wheels on their chairs to avoid being penalised for travelling.

There are 12 players on each team, with no more than five on the court at one time. Every player is assigned a point value based on their functional ability, 1.0 to 4.5. During play, the total on- court point value for each team of five players cannot exceed 14.

(From https://www.paralympic.org/video/wheelchair-basketball-london-2012-paralympic- games)

28 SECTION 10: ABOUT THE TURKISH AIRLINES ENGAGE EMPOWERING LEAGUE and ABOUT ENGAGE ENGAGE Empowering League 2016

About the Turkish Airlines ENGAGE Empowering League The Turkish Airlines ENGAGE Empowering League is about building the capacities of the players in order to more fully enjoy the game and get consistent exercise, building relationships, recognizing people with disabilities as important actors of change in Nepal. With nine teams competing (six make and 3 female) from the Kathmandu Valley and surroundings, the League is the first semi professional wheelchair basketball championship in Nepal. The League has been organized for the first time in 2016 in partnership with the Government of Nepal through the Ministry of Youth and Sports and thanks to the generous support of the Embassy of Switzerland, Turkish Airlines and many other individuals and corporate houses. ENGAGE aims at running the League every year and expand it into a national wide competition.

About ENGAGE ENGAGE is an NGO established in 2011 partnering youths and young adults with physical disabilities with the vision of having them recognized and acknowledged for their leadership skills and unique contributions to the development of Nepal. ENGAGE uses sports as a launch pad to enhance the skills, personal confidence, leadership and capabilities of youths and young adults living with physical disabilities, supporting them in their quest for a job or self-employment. ENGAGE selects, trains and mobilizes its volunteers, all undergraduate students from Nepal as ENGAGE Sport Coaches, each of them assigned to coach different wheelchair basketball teams scattered around the Kathmandu Valley. So far the ENGAGE Sport Coaches have served for more than 1444 hours. Without them, it would not be possible to sustain and strengthen the wheelchair basketball movement in the country.

For more information about ENGAGE, www.facebook.com/engagenepal; www.engage.org.np [email protected] Jhamsikhel, Lalitpur

29 Photo Credits: Cover: ENGAGE www.techstory.in 1 www.youtube.com 7 www.jonnie.peacock.insidethegames.biz 8 www.Gettyimages.com 8 www.akamaihd.net 10, 13 www.affairscloud.net 15 www.revistasentidos.uol.com.br 16 www.omundodaana.com 16 www.youtube.com 17 www.staticflickr.com 17 www.i.ytimg.com 18 www.darkroom.baltimoresun.com 18, 19 ENGAGE 20 www.en.wikipedia.com 20 www.youtube.com 21 www.columbusalive.com 21 www.alamy.com 25, 28 ENGAGE Back ENGAGE

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National Army Team and W.S.A. Team winning respectively the Male and Female categories of the Turkish Airlines ENGAGE Empowering League 2016

With the support of Produced by Embassy of Switzerland ENGAGE