Surkhet: The Spinal Injury Union, with support from Save the Children’s SHIFT campaign, on Friday organized a wheelchair basketball match titled “Where Wheels Fly” followed by storytelling to promote disability rights and inclusion through the power of sports.
The initiative aims to challenge stereotypes, dismantle the “victim narrative” often associated with persons with disabilities, and spark public dialogue on disability-informed reforms in education, health, and social protection. By showcasing the talent and resilience of wheelchair users, the event emphasized role modelling and shifting perceptions towards empowerment and equality.
“People living with disabilities are often looked down upon, with the common belief that we can’t achieve much,” said Dibya Raj Khadka, founder of the Spinal Injury Union, wheelchair user, and co-creator of the event. “Through active sports like basketball, we want to prove our strength, resilience, and capability, and demand inclusion in all spaces.”
The SHIFT campaign, supported by Save the Children, empowers young people to design and lead advocacy initiatives rooted in community needs. Ayush Shrestha Joshi, Director of Advocacy at Save the Children Nepal, highlighted the transformative role of sports in advancing disability rights. “Sports break barriers, address biases, and bring people together around shared goals. These wheelchair basketball matches bring the voices of persons with disabilities, especially youth to the forefront, fostering coalitions and alliances for lasting change,” he said. “Disability inclusion cannot be addressed with a blanket approach; it requires intentional, intersectional conversations.”
As part of the SHIFT campaign, the Spinal Injury Union will host a series of wheelchair basketball matches across Surkhet, coupled with experience-sharing and interactive community sessions to deepen understanding and commitment to disability inclusion.
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