The mission of Special Olympics Asia Pacific is to end discrimination against people with intellectual disability who comprise some of the most isolated and underprivileged people in the world.
Our work at Special Olympics Asia Pacific (SOAP) spans across 35 countries in Asia Pacific and has touched the lives of athletes in the areas of training and development, research, health and fitness and awareness campaigns to help people with intellectual disabilities from countries like India, Indonesia, Singapore and even the Pacific Islands.
The COVID-19 pandemic wreaked havoc with Special Olympics programming across the Asia Pacific region forcing people with intellectual disabilities into even greater isolation. Among the many devastating losses, the pandemic damaged our networks of families, coaches and community staff who make local programming possible.
As a result of the pandemic, we have seen a drop in Athlete Engagement by as much as 84% in the region. Underlying this is a corresponding decline in the number of coaches and volunteers who make our local programming happen.
Support for this fundraising campaign will help to rebuild this infrastructure upon which our programming relies:
• Recruit and train coaches and volunteers
• Rebuild partnerships with schools, community and children's services
• Restart competitions
• Restart family networks and early childhood development activities
With your support, we can make a real difference in the lives of people with intellectual disabilities. Every donation, no matter the amount, can help us progress towards creating a more inclusive and equitable society for all.