Skate Soccer

The first time I set eyes on polio survivors enjoying a game of skate soccer on homemade skateboards in Ghana, I was touched by the spirit of the players to make a difference in their lives. Albert K. Frimpong initiated the activity through his non- governmental organization SYDOGhana (Sports and Youth Development Organization, Ghana) to empower the disabled on the streets. The game is played in downtown Accra at a public car park, and the team is proudly known as the Rolling Rockets. Due to their physical limitations and the stigma attached, access to regular jobs is a challenge for many who have been afflicted by polio. Even the use of basic amenities such as public showers and toilets becomes a matter of daily struggle, as they are not designed with the needs of the physically disabled in mind. Despite some of the Rolling Rockets having vocational training and others being experienced traders, most of them have resorted to begging to support their families, some with children. This too is hazardous, as it increases the risk of them getting hit by cars as they meander through traffic in the hope of getting alms from charitable hearts. Skate soccer is a window of opportunity for equipping this marginalized group with the requisite life skills needed for their development into capable and responsible citizens of society, who can then become agents of change within their community. Their strong spirit moves me, and they play to reiterate that life can be lived beyond perceived limitations.