Feature: Disabled in Nepal, including quake victims, find sports activities as therapeutic

For the past eight years, Yami Magar was unable to walk because of a spinal tumor that paralyzed her body from the waist down.

But lately, with the aid of a wheelchair, she can now move around. And not only that. She has since left her village in the western district of Pyuthan and now lives in Kathmandu where she is taking up Bachelor of Science in Management at Padma Kanya (PK) campus.

Like many persons with disability (PWDs), Yami used to seclude herself because of fears that people would despise or ridicule her. But Yami has overcome all these and is now full of confidence to face other people.

And she is determined to prove that PWDs like her can excel not only in her studies but also in athletics.

"Since I started swimming and playing basketball, I feel that I am just like any normal person. I found out that even without the use of my legs, I can still do a lot of things for as long as I put my mind in these things," Yami told Xinhua.

Along with other wheelchair-bound students in her college, Yami practices basketball every Saturday. The college has two wheelchair-bound basketball teams.

People like Yami Magar are not only empowering themselves but are also motivating other PWDs to move ahead in life despite their disabilities.

On July 29, a new campaign - Coaching4Fun against the Quake - has been launched in Nepal by Engage a non-government organization, to empower those who suffered injuries during the killer earthquake, particularly in helping them engage in sports competitions such as basketball and swimming.

More than 22,000 people have been injured in the massive earthquake that hit Nepal on April 25. Among the injured, more than 5,000 are believed to have suffered long-term disabilities.

Engage plans to train and motivate the injured to live normal lives despite their disabilities through sports.

"Persons who are wheelchair-bound have very limited activities. So, what we are trying to do is to encourage them to get out of their homes and join sports activities so that they can become active not just physically but also psychologically and socially," Simone Galimberti, co-founder of Engage, told Xinhua.

Galimberti said that part of their campaign is to encourage volunteerism and leadership among PWDs. "We tell them that they should have a goal or purpose in life despite their disabilities," she said.

Jaya Karki, a 35-year-old resident of Sindhuli district who has been paralyzed for the last 10 years, has now started to play basketball.

"The game has restored my self-confidence. Now I can look forward to achieving something in life. I want those who suffered disabilities as a result of the earthquake to engage in sports or to continue their studies or work," Karki said.

Today Karki, aside from playing basketball, is also engaged in painting as a hobby.

"Before, life was hard and I almost lost hope. But now because of sports, I have overcome my fears. I am now looking forward to have a government job," Bharat BC, a PWD, said.

The Coaching4Fun against the Quake campaign has been supported by the Asia Pacific University Community Engagement Network- Malaysia (APUCEN). It plans to involve more quake victims to engage in sports activities to help them overcome their trauma and live normal lives.

Experts believe that medicines can heal only the physical wounds and it would need sports activities to overcome mental anguish.

"When a young person has a disability, he or she can be subjected to a lot of stress. It is only through sports that the mind can relax and forget about the emotional stress," Aileen Tan Shau Hwai, executive director of APUCEN, said.

Currently, there are around 50 wheelchair-bound basketball players in the capital under three different teams. Endi