Justin Bambay Kamara, National Director of Special Olympics Sierra Leone, Shawn Ferguson, Chief Global Government Relations Officer, Special Olympics International, Charles Nyambe, President and Managing Director, Special Olympics Africa Region, and Honorable Ibrahim Sannoh, Minister of Youth Affairs, following the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding formalizing Sierra Leone's membership in the Special Olympics Global Coalition for Inclusion.The Republic of Sierra Leone has formally joined the Special Olympics Global Coalition for Inclusion, pledging to increase inclusive sports and education opportunities for students with intellectual disabilities. The signing ceremony, held on Friday, May 29 in Freetown, was the largest launch event in the Africa Region to date, attracting senior government officials, Special Olympics athletes, families, and Unified partners.
Under the leadership of Ibrahim Sannoh, Minister of Youth Affairs, the government and Special Olympics Sierra Leone signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to establish a stronger partnership to promote equal opportunities, social inclusion, and community development for citizens of all abilities. The MOU was signed by Minister Sannoh and Special Olympics Sierra Leone’s National Director, Justin Bambay Kamara.
Minister Sannoh told attendees that the Global Coalition for Inclusion’s mission is closely related to his ministry’s mandate. He emphasised that youth account for 70% of people with disabilities in Sierra Leone, including those with intellectual disabilities, and advocated for a shift in policy from viewing disability as a charitable issue to treating inclusion as a matter of systemic justice. To ensure representation and access for young people with disabilities, strict diversity quotas will be enforced within youth-focused programs as part of this shift.
The minister also advocated for better statistical tracking of people with intellectual disabilities in national data collection, citing previous omissions that hampered effective planning. “This oversight has significant implications for resource allocation, policy development, and the overall visibility of this population within national planning frameworks,” he said, emphasising the importance of having better data when designing specialised healthcare, tailored educational programs, and inclusive sports initiatives.
Special Olympics Sierra Leone was joined at the event by a diverse group of partners and supporters. Key organisations in attendance included Lions Clubs International, UNICEF, the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities, Amnesty International, and the Red Cross Society. Representatives from the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces and the Sierra Leone Police were also present, as were national organisations that provided hospitality and support, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, the Ministry of Economic Development, the Sierra Leone Scouts Association, the Makuta Aminata Wurie Charity Organisation, the Manahim Orphanage, and the Sierra Leone Psychiatric Teaching Hospital.
Senior officials from the Special Olympics also participated: Charles Nyambe, President and Managing Director of Special Olympics Africa Region, and Shawn Ferguson, Chief Global Government Relations Officer for Special Olympics International, were in attendance, while Dr Tim Shriver, Chair of Special Olympics International, participated virtually.
Sierra Leone’s partnership will see the expansion of Special Olympics Unified Sports® programs across the country. Unified Sports brings together students with and without intellectual disabilities to play on the same teams, using sport to boost confidence, reduce stigma, and foster more inclusive school environments. Officials from the government and the Special Olympics have stated that the programs will be integrated into larger efforts to improve inclusion in classrooms and community settings nationwide.
The Global Coalition for Inclusion is supported by a generous grant from the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF), as well as contributions from global stakeholders such as Lions Clubs International Foundation, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), Fondation Botnar, and H&M Move. Their support propels community-based inclusion efforts around the world, providing resources and coordination to scale models such as Sierra Leone’s nationwide expansion.
Organisers described the Freetown launch as a watershed moment in recognising all students, both with and without intellectual disabilities, as entitled to equal participation in education and sports. Officials and advocates at the ceremony emphasised the importance of sustained investment, reliable data collection, and cross-sector collaboration in ensuring that commitments become tangible opportunities for Sierra Leone’s youth.
