FAME Foundation Calls for Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities through Sports

FAME Foundation marked the International Day of Persons with Disabilities with the hosting of Inclusion Games at the main bowl of the National Stadium, Lagos, advocating for disability-inclusive societies.

The event, held on December 3, featured 26 participants competing in activities including the 100m finals for visually impaired athletes, athletes with cerebral palsy and the deaf, as well as discus throw for amputees and polio survivors, and shot put for amputee and lexul athletes.

Executive Director of FAME Foundation, Arabinrin Aderonke Atoyebi, expressed her joy at the organisation’s first edition of the tournament while reaffirming the foundation’s commitment to promoting inclusion and celebrating diverse abilities.

“I am happy with today’s event. The Inclusion Games allowed us to celebrate different abilities through various activities. This is what inclusion should look like in our society,” Atoyebi said.

She linked the initiative to the foundation’s HerSTEM programme, which provides digital literacy and basic computer skills training for women and girls with disabilities.

“This is the same principle that drives our HerSTEM Initiative. Through activities like the ongoing HerSTEM 2025 cohort and the HerSTEM Inclusive Tournament, we are creating spaces where they can learn, compete and showcase their abilities. We are breaking stereotypes and showing that with the right opportunities, people with disabilities are not just included, they are leaders and contributors to social progress,” she stated.

Atoyebi emphasised the need for collaboration and systemic change, calling on the government to fully implement and enforce the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act, 2018

World and Olympic champion, Folashade Oluwafemiayo, ambassador of the FAME Foundation, hailed the initiative.

“We thank FAME Foundation for coming in to support and to bring out more talents from the physically challenged and empowering people living with disabilities. We have new upcoming talents from here that can make the nation and FAME Foundation proud. I also believe this can encourage more physically challenged people to pick up sports,” Oluwafemiayo said.

Director of Programmes at FAME Foundation, Kemisola Ibitoye, explained the organisation’s approach, saying, “This is our sports initiative to empower people living with disabilities. The tournament is strictly for women and girls, and we have men as allies who are here to support them.

“We also bring girls and women into a safe space where we teach them the basic things to know about computers and empower them, all for free. We really want to impact lives and give back to the community.”

Programmes Manager at STEM Initiative, Muhammed Opaluwa

highlighted the untapped talent pool.

“We have a talent pool in all of these special people, and there are so many that are untapped. By bringing out the 100m race, the shot put and the discus throw, people can also see that there are talents in these disabilities, and we chose sports because it is a universal language,” Opaluwa said.