LUCY'S WORK IN HELPING YOUNG PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES AROUND THE WORLD

Montenegro

Kosovo

Jamaica, I'm Back!

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Azerbaijan

Switzerland

Brazil

Jamaica

Uganda

In 2018, UNICEF and Special Olympics launched a one-year project to empower over 400 children with and without disabilities in four districts in Uganda. Working closely with the District Education offices and Kyambogo University, UNICEF and Special Olympics are providing equal access to social and educational opportunities for children with disabilities through sports within schools and communities. Children with disabilities are less likely to attend school and, as a result, miss out on many sports and recreation activities that are provided through the school system. Many children, especially those with mild and moderate intellectual disabilities, drop out of school because the system does not have ways of supporting them. This project addresses this gap and includes several activities designed to strengthen sports programming and coaching to expand opportunities for children with disabilities within their communities.

Peru

In 2016, 250 new young athletes participated in Special Olympics and UNICEF USA programs; 40 athletes received health services, 200 children received screenings in five different disciplines, and 46 clinical and 30 non-clinical volunteers participated throughout. Additionally, the Family Health Forum took place in Peru with a total attendance of 168 family members, 42 athletes and 32 teachers.

Mexico

In 2016, Special Olympics and UNICEF USA executed a healthy athletes event to provide health screenings to 400 athletes in five different disciplines. During the event, 1,790 screenings were achieved and 206 clinical and 70 non-clinical volunteers participated in the event. Two Family Health Forums took place with a total attendance of 100 family members, 60 athletes and 10 individuals of external audience.

Paraguay

In 2016, a total of 80 athletes received health services during the healthy athletes event that took place in Asuncion and 104 clinical and 32 non-clinical volunteers helped conduct 240 health screenings in three difference disciplines. Also, two Family Health Forums took place in Paraguay, with a total attendance of 100 family members, 20 athletes and 30 individuals of external audience.

Moldova

Children in Moldova participated in a Family health forum event in Moldova hosted by Special Olympics and UNICEF. 2017 marked the beginning of country-level collaboration with both these organizations in the Central Asian sub-region.

Nicaragua

Special Olympics and UNICEF in Nicaragua have the goal of training at least 50 medical professionals from three clinical disciplines (medicine, vision care, oral health, etc.) and offering the opportunity to 250 children with and without intellectual disabilities to participate in Unified Sports programming to forge stronger social inclusion through sport.

Zambia

Since 2016, Special Olympics Zambia and the UNICEF Zambia Country Office have shared a strong relationship, rooted in the provision of inclusive sports programming to youth with and without intellectual disabilities through the Unified Sports program. In late 2016, both organizations teamed up to conduct a high-profile Unified Sports tournament, coinciding with the International Day of Disability (3 December), and championed by the First Lady of the Republic- Her Excellency Mrs. Esther Lunga.