Come back stronger

About the project

In Sierra Leone, people with disabilities experience a lot of discrimination. People with disabilities are geographically spread all across the country and are very unorganised and excluded by society. In this project, FANT works together with four amputee football clubs from the four biggest cities in Sierra Leone. Football has proven to be a a strong tool in organizing and including people with disabilities in society. Through the organization and networking of football, football players from the four clubs compete to create greater inclusion for disabled people in Sierra Leone.

Sports for people with disabilities is not a new concept, but to utilize sports as a powerful cheap tool to secure greater inclusion in society and better conditions for disabled people is just starting to spread. Sports for disabled people can both change the outside world’s vision on people with disabilities but also contribute to improve how people with disabilities view themselves. The goal of this project is thus by sports and community to motivate people with disabilities to unfold their full potential and fight for positive change in society. Sport can reduce the stigma and discrimination of disabled people and simultaneously build their capacities to reach their full potential while fighting for positive change in society.

Through through workshops on human rights and training in different specific abilities like farming, tailoring and others, FANT makes sure individuals and role models are equipped with the right tool sets to walk in the front of creating better living conditions for people with disabilities in Sierra Leone. The network of football players make out a strong democratic structured civil society organization that helps all disabled people in Sierra Leone becoming included in society.

Jonathan Richter is ambassador for the project with Flying Stars Amputees

and is a former Danish football player who got struck by lightning in 2009 during a football match. He had his leg amputated and his career as a professional football player was in an instant completely gone. Watch the short documentary about him and his visit in Sierra Leone and the project here:

The project is closely related to the Global Goals of UN Goal 3: Good Health and Well-Being as well as Goal 16: Peace, Justice and strong institutions.