183 Japanese students of Rikkyo School in England have donated two elite brands of World famous basketball wheelchairs to the Local Organizing Committee (LOC) of the upcoming African Paralympic Games, Accra 2023.
The donation was made during the President of the African Paralympic Committee, Samson Deen’s visit to the United Kingdom ahead of preparations for the upcoming African Paralympic Games in Accra from the 6th to the 13th of September this year.
The President of the African Paralympic Committee, Mr. Samson Deen, and Chairman of the Accra 2023 African Para Games, Mr. Chris Boadi- Mensah engaged the students to inform, educate and tell the story of the African Paralympic Movement and the importance of hosting the first ever African Para Games on the African Soil.
Addressing the students on why Ghana chose to host the maiden edition of the event, the LOC Chairman explained the keen interest the government of Ghana has in developing and promoting the para-sport with the aim of African countries picking up medals at the World Paralympic Games.
The Head Master of RIKKYO School, Dr. Toru Okano, expressed his delight and also thanked the President of the AfPC and the chairman of the LOC for their visit.
In a speech during the meeting, he said, “First, thank you for arranging a visit to our school. We are delighted to welcome you, Sir! I lived in Ethiopia from 2016-17 for two years and worked for Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic sports promotion programme called “Sports for Tomorrow“.
He further added, “There I worked with the Ethiopian basketball federation and Ethiopian Paralympic Committee. I organized the 1st wheelchair basketball tournament collaborating with Red Cross in Ethiopia.
I ran as a torch runner for Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games and now relocated to the U.K. in 2021.”
Ms. Yoko Inoue, who is the promoter of Para-Sport in the Able Bodied School, had this to say: “Our school, Rikkyo School in England, have a student volunteering team called “I’m Possible”, and we are encouraging to get a lot of awareness through Para Sports”.
Rikkyo School, which is the oldest Japanese boarding school in Europe was founded in 1972. It is situated on an extensive, beautifully landscaped grounds on a wooded hilltop in Sussex, commanding magnificent views over the surrounding countryside.
