As part of activities to commemorate the International Women’s Month, the Empathy Driven Women International Initiative (EDWIIN), in conjunction with the EgoBeke Foundation and Zuri Circle, recently organised a wheelchair racing championship for some women living with disabilities.

The event, which took place at the National Stadium in Surulere, saw the young and energetic women testing their strengths on the track and field.

With the motivational theme: ” Rise and Roll”, it was such a thrilling and fulfilling event for these women with disabilities as they participated in the 1500 metres, 200 metres and 100 metres category as the spectators cheered them on.

An NGO focused on the inclusion of women with disabilities, over the past nine years, EDWIIN has always celebrated the Women’s month with them.

Founder of EDWIIN, Uri Ngozichukwuka explained: “We are an inclusion advocate as an NGO. We always include these women in the International Women’s Day celebration and, since 2018, we’ve been organising different projects to celebrate with them, from medical fairs to mini exhibition of their wares and so on.

“This year, we chose a sporting event to drive them for excellence and we will also organise other sports like table-tennis, short-put for the blind in the future. They are part of the society and should be included in every way,” she declared.

The star of the professional wheelchair race was the Commonwealth defending champion, Kemi Ladipo, who won in the 1500 metres category. She was showered with gifts and N100, 000 cash prize.

Chineme Irewole, who came second, went home with N50, 000 while the third-place winner Abimbola Balogun went home with N30, 000. Winners in the other categories also smiled home with the same cash prizes.