The Namibia Paralympic Committee (NPC) and Gaps international have collaborated to assist less-fortunate athletes to qualify for major international competitions.
The Gaps programme supports the development of inclusive sport pathways throughout the Commonwealth, removing barriers to participation for people with disability and for women and girls to become actively involved in sport.
Four athletes have been identified to benefit from the initiative. They are Chris Kinda and guide in the T12 classification, Roodly Gowaseb (T54), Martha Hitekalute (T37) and Petrus Karuli (T37).
NPC secretary general Michael Hamukwaya told New Era Sport they applied to be part of the programme early last year, and Namibia was selected as one of the nations to benefit from the project.
The programme also assists athletes with their classifications.
“We became one of the nations that will benefit from this six-month programme which will run until June ahead of the Commonwealth Games. The programme aims to develop selected athletes in order to help them qualify for the upcoming Commonwealth Games in Britain this year,” he said.
The deal includes sponsored training camps locally and abroad, meals and accommodation.
Hamukwaya said this cooperation has lifted some weight off the federation’s shoulders, adding: “This is a relief for the federation as we won’t be spending money on these athletes for their preparation, which tends to be costly”.
The Gaps programme is developed by the Commonwealth Games Federation and Griffith University.