Handi-Sports Day --2001

December 3rd is the International Day of the Disabled, and this year in Cambodia it was celebrated with a two-day Handi-Sports Festival at the Old Stadium in Phnom Penh. (The newer Olympic Stadium has been under repair for more than a year and it is rumored that the money for repairs has already been "eaten" by corrupt officials and contractors.) Sport events offered for competition at the festival were volleyball, track, petancque (similar to lawn bowling), wheelchair racing, and target shooting.

Day One

Day Two

Disabled athletes before the reviewing stand All the disabled athletes were lined up, Asian style, in front of the VIP stand and listened to an hour of speeches from dignitaries and officials. In the foreground are Liza Clews and Colin Allen (deaf himself), a team of consultants from Australia, who are evaluating the deaf program at CDPO.

Navy interpreting for the deaf group Khiev Navy, the acting manager of the CDPO deaf program, interpreted some of the speeches and welcomes for the dignitaries.

School kids at the sports day Several classes of school kids were in the old stadium, the site of these Handi-Sports, but I'm not sure why. Perhaps they were marshalled out to show government support for the event. The students had banners: "See Ability Not Handicaped (sic)" and "Disabilities Are Not Sins". We had a discussion why these groups feel the need to use so much English when so few of the people understand it.

Lavalla School students Students from the Lavalla School, a private school for children with disabilities run by the Marist Brothers of Australia, performed a dance and song as part of the opening ceremony. Afterwards some of the students enjoyed their time away from the classroom. Unfortunately no activities were planned for disabled children.

Visitors at the CDPO booth Most of the NGOs working with people with disabilities had a booth set up along the track. Here one of the few foreign visitors to the sports day examines brochures at the booth of the Cambodian Disabled People's Organization.

Charlie with colleague One of the good points in having all the NGOs working with disabilities together for the sports days is that it provides a chance to meet with colleagues and co-workers not seen for a while. Here I am talking with Giet Sorphean who works with Jesuit Services Cambodia program for deaf people.

Young man showing off in a wheelchair All the wheelchairs used in Cambodia are made here, usually by one or two of the NGOs that specialize in them. They are made to order for adults or children, for the terrain where the person lives, etc., and there are many different styles that can been seen at the sports day. Here one young man shows off and does a wheelie to impress the crowd!

Girl hawing snacks Much of Cambodia's economy is based on very small businesses and depends on the work of children. This girl's mother probably cooks these snacks in their little shack, and then the girl walks the streets hawking them. Finding a ready-made crowd at the Old Stadium is a really lucky break for her.

Go to Day Two

	All the disabled athletes were lined up, Asian style, in front of the VIP stand and listened to an hour of speeches from dignitaries and officials. In the foreground are Liza Clews and Colin Allen (deaf himself), a team of consultants from Australia, who are evaluating the deaf program at CDPO.
	Khiev Navy, the acting manager of the CDPO deaf program, interpreted some of the speeches and welcomes for the dignitaries.
	Several classes of school kids were in the old stadium, the site of these Handi-Sports, but I'm not sure why. Perhaps they were marshalled out to show government support for the event. The students had banners: "See Ability Not Handicaped (sic)" and "Disabilities Are Not Sins". We had a discussion why these groups feel the need to use so much English when so few of the people understand it.
	Students from the Lavalla School, a private school for children with disabilities run by the Marist Brothers of Australia, performed a dance and song as part of the opening ceremony. Afterwards some of the students enjoyed their time away from the classroom. Unfortunately no activities were planned for disabled children.
	Most of the NGOs working with people with disabilities had a booth set up along the track. Here one of the few foreign visitors to the sports day examines brochures at the booth of the Cambodian Disabled People's Organization.
	One of the good points in having all the NGOs working with disabilities together for the sports days is that it provides a chance to meet with colleagues and co-workers not seen for a while. Here I am talking with Giet Sorphean who works with Jesuit Services Cambodia program for deaf people.
	All the wheelchairs used in Cambodia are made here, usually by one or two of the NGOs that specialize in them. They are made to order for adults or children, for the terrain where the person lives, etc., and there are many different styles that can been seen at the sports day. Here one young man shows off and does a wheelie to impress the crowd!
	Much of Cambodia's economy is based on very small businesses and depends on the work of children. This girl's mother probably cooks these snacks in their little shack, and then the girl walks the streets hawking them. Finding a ready-made crowd at the Old Stadium is a really lucky break for her.