Motivation Romania Foundation organized the “Abilities matter” swimming event on Wednesday, July 19th. It was hosted by the swimming pool at Steaua Army Sports Club and brought together people with and without disabilities to promote the abilities and benefits of sport.

Five swimming teams were competing, each consisting in volunteers from Vodafone Romania Foundation and two Motivation’s employees, including a disabled person and a wheelchair user. The teams also had two swimmers with intellectual disabilities, athletes of the Special Olympics Foundation in Romania. The formation of mixed teams of swimmers with and without disabilities is an argument for promoting equal opportunities and the skills of people with disabilities.

“In addition to the benefits it brings to health, sport is, from our point of view, an effective way to include people with disabilities and overcome the obstacles associated with disability. It is a joy for us that we have had, for the seventh year, the involvement of Vodafone volunteers. At the same time, we are thankfull for the support that Steaua Army Sports Club has been given us, which hosted us in a wheelchair user friendly area, which allowed access to the pool for all participants for our swimming event,” said Viorel Mocanu, Coordinator of sports activities for people with disabilities.

This event was not at its first edition. Six similar competitions were organized in previous years, with the support of the Vodafone Romania Foundation and volunteers who joined the Motivation Foundation Romania initiative.