The Director of Para Sports, BINA Foundation, Mr Amobi Chikwendu says the foundation will be hosting the first ever West African Women blind football camp and games in Enugu.
The director told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Enugu on Saturday that the Women Blind Football Game would be coming simultaneously with the Para-athletics championship for the country.
”Two events are coming up at the same time; BINA Foundation is the sponsor of the Para-athletics championship with the First ever Women blind Football camp and games.
”Some West African countries will be participating and they have declared interests in participation; by April 9 they will all be in Enugu.
” Countries like, Ghana, Togo, Ivory Coast and others with the host Nigeria and BINA Foundation will sponsor their movements and feeding.
”We want the participants to be comfortable because most people do not have much interest in physically challenged persons’ sports,” he said.
He said that BINA was the first to have the female blind football teams in Africa and that they were in collaboration with a Non Governmental Organisation based in France.
Chikwendu noted that the Nigerian female blind football team traveled to Tokyo, Japan for similar programme.
“It is based on what happened there that BINA Foundation Proprietor, Lady Ifeoma Atuegwu, decided to replicate the same programme for Africa in Enugu.
The director affirmed the readiness of the foundation to present blind football teams for the country in Japan, Tokyo 2020 Olympic.
”We have produced a formidable blind football team for Nigeria and we named them ”Star Eagles of Nigeria” and the players are selected on merit.
” In January this year, we hosted a festival for blind football trail for the whole country and players were selected from across the country.
”We have started registration of these players and after the visit of the France officials to the Women football games, I believe things will unwind.
Chikwendu said that the Star Eagles were ready and that they had been training every day.
The director confirmed that the foundation also engaged in other things in order to fix the physically challenged into the society.
BINA foundation also engaged in Medical Outreach, Meal and Weals, as it takes food to the indigent and mad people in the streets to ensure they eat at least one to three meals per day.
“We also train the physically challenged persons on skills acquisition like bead making, wire and works, shoe and bags making.
” We also have computer literacy programme for the blind, tailoring, catering, cosmetic, soap and dettol and paints production,” Chikwendu said. (NAN)