Indigenous Recreation and Sports Day on Westville Campus

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The Disability Support Unit (DSU) on the Westville campus and the Bio-kinetics, Exercise and Leisure Science Department co-hosted a successful Indigenous Recreation and Sports Day supported by staff and students.

Organisers of the day aimed to provide an opportunity for students with disabilities to engage in activities designed/adapted for their challenges. The programme included activities that created awareness of the different types of disabilities experienced by students on campus.

The day started with a welcome from a student with a visual disability, Mr Ashley Subbiah, followed by an ice breaker and introduction co-ordinated by third year Leisure Sport Science students Mr Thabiso Msomi and Ms Nosipho Mbatha; and a volleyball match between students with disabilities and students who supported the event.

Other activities included a wheel chair race, one-legged race, border crossing game, river and bank game, skipping rope, hula hoop, egg and spoon race, chess, snakes and ladders, and morabaraba (board game).

Ms Mikyle David, a student with physical challenges, conveyed the vote of thanks. Incentives/trophies were given to participants who successfully completed tasks.

Feedback from participants was positive and the goals of increasing education and awareness around issues of disability were accomplished.

Students said they gained valuable information relating to the challenges that students with disabilities encountered through an educative, fun and interactive medium.

The Disability Co-ordinator, Ms Faaiza Shaikh was positive about the response from the UKZN community and highlighted that advocacy and awareness programmes, such as the Indigenous Recreation and Sports Day, were valuable and necessary for the continued integration of a diverse student population.

This initiative was supported by the UKZN community, Risk Management Services, the Campus Health Clinic, the Sports and Health Department and Corporate Relations.

Sponsors for the event included V City Chicks; Mrs Govender’s UKZN; Origano Pizza and Pasta; Mr Haffejee (Varsity Shop); What’s Up Dog; the HIV and AIDS Programme and Information and Communication Services.

Faaiza Shaikh and Khumbuzile Khumalo