PORTLAND (U.S.A) February 17, 2010 (WAFA)- Carlee Hoffman is a University of Illinois grad student and Paralympian who wants to empower disabled athletes in the West Bank. The two-time gold medalist was disabled by an accident at age three, Mercy Corps quoted Chicago Public Radio as reporting.
Carlee spent time in the West Bank last spring with the humanitarian NGO Mercy Corps to help kick start a Paralympic basketball training.
Out of the 4 million people living in the Palestinian Territory, it’s estimated that between 125,000 and 300,000 are disabled. The disabled face added challenges of less education, fewer job opportunities, discrimination and lack of physical access. They’re often the most isolated and impoverished people in war-torn places like the West Bank.
The Mercy Corps’ Sports for Life program works for greater independence and cultural acceptance for the disabled in Palestinian society. At least 600 athletes in the West Bank will benefit from more advanced wheelchair basketball training and better access to sports equipment.
During her stay in the West Bank, Carlee ran training clinics in Bethlehem, Nablus, and Ramallah. Coaches from the University of Illinois brought over coaches from Palestine to train at their facilities. Mike Frogley is one of those coaches and he worked with Foad Mustafa, a Palestinian Wheelchair Basketball coach from Bethlehem. Mike Frogley explains how the program got started…
In 2008, the Palestinian Federation for the Disabled became the Palestinian Paralympics Committee (PPC). Its purpose is to enhance the skills and abilities of people with disabilities through sports. Mercy Corps' Sports for Life program is helping the PPC improve coaching capacity and providing sports equipment to the clubs. The Palestinian team won a bronze medal at the 2000 Paralympics games in Sydney, and two bronze medals and one silver medal at the 2004 Paralympics games in Athens.
To be noted that Mercy Corps is a team of 3700 professionals helping turn crisis into opportunity for millions around the world. By trade, we are engineers, financial analysts, drivers, community organizers, project managers, public health experts, administrators, social entrepreneurs and logisticians. In spirit, we are activists, optimists, innovators and proud partners of the people we serve.
