Last month the British Council in Africa initiative Dreams + Teams hosted a unique event for Sport Relief, a drive to raise funds for vulnerable people all over the world. Able-bodied and disabled children combined in teams for the first inclusive sports festival in Mauritius, held on 4 April.

More than 40 children with hearing, physical, mental or visual disabilities and 20 able-bodied children, aged between 13 and 16, took part in events such as the tunnel relay, spoon race, musical ball, fill the bucket and shot put.

Africa Dreams + Teams youth leaders organised the event, supported by sub-Saharan project manager Jane Henry and local project manager Selamawit Alemayehu. The project officer was Damini Luchmun.

A senior sports officer from the Ministry of Youth and Sports in Mauritius, Mr Ghoorah, attended and said that the sports day highlighted tolerance and acceptance. “This action initiated by the British Council is laudable and praiseworthy and I would invite other organisations and bodies to follow this path,” he added.

The presidents of the Association of the Visually Impaired for the Sports Federation and of the Mental Health Association, and the council member of the Para-Olympics Association in Mauritius were also in attendance.

The decision to organise this festival was based on the success of a sports event for able-bodied participants held in November 2007 at the Rose-Hill Stadium, and planned to coincide with the international Sport Relief projects happening in schools across the world.

One young leader, Tanya Montagne-Longu, said, “It was a lot of hard work, because we were dealing with children who had special needs. It was definitely different from the last sports festival we organised, but it was double the reward. I loved it.”