A voice for access, through rugby

At Makerere University Business School's Disability Awareness Day, wheelchair rugby became a practical way to discuss access to sport and the equipment people need to participate.

New Vision reported that athletes demonstrated the game before the Minister of State for Disability Affairs, Joyce Acan Okeny. The event made a simple point visible: interest and talent already exist, while access to specialised equipment and suitable facilities remains limited.

Participation needs practical support

A rugby wheelchair is designed for impact, stability, and the athlete's role on court. A general daily-use chair cannot provide the same protection or performance. Accessible courts, toilets, transport, and storage are also part of whether a player can train consistently.

Sport contributes more than competition. It can support fitness, confidence, peer connection, and fuller participation in community life. Awareness events give athletes a public platform to explain what is needed in their own words and to invite government, institutions, and private partners into the solution.

Advocacy connected to everyday life

The reporting also described wider peer activity around home visits, referrals, awareness, and economic empowerment. These forms of support matter because barriers to participation rarely begin and end at the edge of a court.

UWRF took part alongside the Spinal Injuries Sports Group, which is a separate organisation with its own leadership and wider programmes. The shared demonstration showed how sport and advocacy can reinforce each other while each organisation keeps its distinct role.

Partners can help through competition chairs, maintenance tools, accessible venue support, athlete transport, medical and personal-care supplies, or long-term programme funding.

More from this activity

View photo ↗