Three Brothers Changing Lives in Mozambique through Para badminton.
Located in South-eastern Africa, the Portuguese-speaking country is fast rising from the ashes. In the wake of the Cyclone Idai disaster and the Covid-19 Pandemic, three brothers Ibrahimo, Zulficar, and Idriss Musaggy have found solace in bringing the Para badminton sport to heal their communities.
Mozambique is one of the countries funded through the Agitos Grant Support Program to attend the Agitos/BWF Technical workshop in preparation for their inaugural participation at the Uganda Para badminton International 2021. The workshop aims at elevating the standards of countries to manage and develop Para badminton.
In an interview with BCA Tv, Ibrahimo Mussagy, the Secretary-General of Mozambique badminton narrated his story.
“Our Journey started in 2018 when BCA graciously invited my brother Zulficar Mussagy to attend the 2018 edition of the Agitos Foundation Para badminton workshop. At the time, we didn’t have any structures to support the formation of Para badminton due to the lack of support from our various stakeholders.
Armed with the knowledge from the workshop, my brothers and I embarked on establishing Para badminton without any support, but it was a fulfilling endeavour.
It took a lot of personal sacrifices, a combined effort from my brothers, and our never-ending love for Badminton to overcome the myriads of problems thrown our way.
The disabled community in Mozambique was quick to take up Para badminton. Instead of training new players, the trio opted to use the already existing players from other sports. The results were instantaneous, more and more players joined Para badminton which helped them get the government’s attention, who have been now more cooperative. Other partners like Light for the World also came to their assistance.
“The turnaround was magical, from being a sport looked down on and ridiculed to an overnight success, our players now can have something to smile about.
Oucle Langa a coach and trainer of the team attending the 2021 edition of the Agitos Foundation in Kampala, Uganda, is one of the beneficiaries of the success the Mozambican trio has received.
“I work for the association of disabled persons in Beira. I am not a badminton specialist, but Zulficar approached us with the knowledge he gained from the workshop he attended here in Uganda, which enabled us to set up Para badminton in our association. We have players with both physical disabilities and those who are blind, deaf, and dumb involved in other sports. We are here to add Para badminton to the list.
As people living with disabilities, we have faced many life challenges, but we are optimistic that Para badminton will help change the fortunes of our players.
“My biggest takeaway from this workshop is that the BWF through, the Female Participation Grant, has invited more female participants for this workshop. I am taking photos to show our female players back home that, they too can also play Para badminton and change their lives”, Said Maria Clara a coach with the Mozambican team.
Gaily Guilleme a BWF Coach involved with Coach development training at the workshop expressed his satisfaction in seeing the progress made by Africa in Para badminton.
” I am very happy to see the progress made by Africa in Para badminton, I have been involved with the Agitos Foundation coach education activity in Africa since 2018 and my goal is to give Africa a chance to bring athletes to Para badminton and to help them to understand and play Para badminton so that they represent Africa in International tournaments. This year we had African players in the Paralympics and at the World Championships in Spain, it was humbling to watch Africa win Gold in the Sl3 category.
