Episode description

“As a person living with disability, sport gives you the purpose and the inspiration to move on with life because when you see someone who is physically worse off than you doing better than you, you get inspired and want to do more."

The Paralympic games start today in Paris, just over two weeks after the Olympic games ended in the French Capital. Over 4,400 athletes with various forms of disabilities will be competing in 22 sports for 549 gold medals. Africa has just over 300 para athletes representing 44 countries from the continent.

Kenya’s Asiya Mohammed Sururu will be competing in para rowing, a sport not accessed by many in Africa despite the abundant natural water bodies on the continent. The 32-year-old lost both her legs after she was run over by a train at the age of two.

In this episode of Africa Daily, Alan Kasujja talks to Asiya about the challenges African para athletes face beyond their physical disabilities.