On this episode of Inclusion Revolution Radio, host Novie Craven welcomes Rebecca Daou, Lions Clubs International Foundation Executive Administrator, and Gerald Mballe, Special Olympics Unified with Refugees Advisor, to spotlight global initiatives in support of youth refugees.
As a legally resettled refugee, Mballe was introduced to Special Olympics in 2015, beginning to train with Special Olympics Turin athletes in Italy. He now serves as one of the movement's top assets in generating increased visibility and support for Special Olympics Unified with Refugees programming.
This programming, which brings inclusive sports and related services to Special Olympics athletes and refugee youth alike, is committed to driving inclusive development to this population. All refugee and migrant children and adults, with and without intellectual disabilities, lack safe spaces and activities that can nurture their social and emotional development. These issues are addressed through our international partnerships to both gain access to camps and reception centers, and align strategies, services and interventions. Special Olympics also works with several other partners to support this work, including Lions Clubs International Foundation.
For more than 20 years, the Lions Clubs International Foundation and Special Olympics have partnered to drive global impact, starting with the Special Olympics Lions Clubs International Foundation Opening Eyes® program. Since its inception in 2001, the Lions Club International Foundation has awarded more than $28 million to Special Olympics for health-related initiatives and sports programming.
Through the “Mission: Inclusion” partnership platform, the Lions Clubs International Foundation and countless Lions Clubs have become a pivotal global partner in the lives of athletes with intellectual disabilities throughout the world.
