Become Part of the Special Olympics Family Today
What we do for us is not just work, it is the desire to change one’s life and not just anyone’s life but that of a person with intellectual disability. It comes from within, with passion, patience and eagerness to learn more.
Special Olympics Malawi offers 9 Olympic-style individual and team sports that provide meaningful training and competition opportunities for persons with intellectual disabilities. We operate in 34 Educational Districts across the country. We use sports as a tool to transform lives of people with intellectual disability which allows us to provide year-round sports training and competition. Our athletes can choose from athletics, badminton, basketball, bocce, netball, volleyball, football, table tennis, tennis and swimming.
Sports
Special Olympics Malawi offers 9 Olympic-style individual and team sports that provide meaningful training and competition opportunities for persons with intellectual disabilities. We operate in 34 Educational Districts across the country. We use sports as a tool to transform lives of people with intellectual disability which allows us to provide year-round sports training and competition. Our athletes can choose from athletics, badminton, basketball, bocce, netball, volleyball, football, table tennis, tennis and swimming.
Unified Sports
Unified Sports, breaks down stereotypes about people with intellectual disabilities in a really fun way. Our athletes and their partners participate in sports of their choice base on their ability. Sports is a universal language, it brings together people regardless of race, status and ability. I t can be played as recreational or competitive but at the end of the day bringing together people with and those without intellectual disabilities to play together in the same team leads to understanding each other which eventually creates friendship and promotes inclusion.
Sport and competition
Our sport training and competition is year-round; athletes do training at school or in community clubs. Our community clubs do not only serve athletes from the community who are non-school going but also cater for school going athletes during weekends and holidays. Competitions in schools begin with inter-class competitions, inter-schools competitions, zonal competitions then district competitions which lead to regional competitions. National Games are usually held in preparation for regional or international competitions. In terms of community clubs, trainings are done within their respective clubs which allow them to hold community clubs competitions, these qualify them to participate in district as well as regional games. Our competitions allow our athletes to move from their usual environments and allow them to learn other cultures and mingle with different people which help them to develop social skills. This prepares our athletes for international games. Special Olympics Malawi, since 2003 has been participating in Special Olympics Summer World Games as well as other invitationals. To date, the program brought back a total of 75 medals from different international Games.
Young Athletes
Special Olympics Young Athletes is an early childhood play program for children with and without intellectual disabilities, ages 2 to 7 years old. It introduces basic sport skills, like running, kicking and throwing, it offers families, teachers, caregivers and people from the community the chance to share the joy of sports with all children. Young Athletes provides children of all abilities the same opportunities to advance in core developmental milestones. Children learn how to play with others and develop important skills for learning. Children also learn to share, take turns and follow directions. These skills help children in family, community and school activities. Through Young Athletes, children develop motor skills, social, emotional and learning skills better than those who do not take part in it.
Unified Schools
Special Olympics Unified Schools promote social inclusion by building friendships and understanding among young people with and without intellectual disabilities. This programming creates an environment where everyone feels welcome, valued, and included both in school (in the classroom and the playing field) and in their local community
Unified Champion schools
Currently we have 146 Unified Champion Schools from the 3 regions in the country. The program is aimed at promoting social inclusion through intentionally planned and implemented activities affecting systems-wide change from pre-schools to college campuses. With sports as the foundation, the three component model offers a unique combination of effective activities that equip young people with tools and training to create sports, classroom and school climates of acceptance. These are school climates where students with disabilities feel welcome and are routinely included in, and feel a part of, all activities, opportunities and functions. This is accomplished by implementing inclusive sports, inclusive youth leadership opportunities, and whole school engagement. The program is designed to be woven into the fabric of the school, enhancing current efforts and providing rich opportunities that lead to meaningful change in creating a socially inclusive school that supports and engages all learners. The impact of Unified Champion Schools is clearly visible in the schools that are implementing it through students and staff behaviors.
