The Swedish Embassy in Nepal, in collaboration with the Turkish Airlines, is supporting the first wheelchair basketball league ‘Turkish Airlines ENGAGE Empowering League (EEL)’ that kicked off on May 28.

The EEL will run for seven consecutive Saturdays in different venues with the closing on July 9.

ENGAGE, a local non-governmental organisation aiming to empower youth and young adults living with disabilities, is organising this event and the Ministry of Youth and Sports is the co-convener. “In Nepal, many people are unaware of the ability of wheelchair users to do sport activities such as basketball. This initiative will achieve important aims with regards to social inclusion, by working on different aspects,” the embassy said in a statement on Thursday.

The event would be an opportunity for young people with physical disabilities to engage in an official sport competition and to have fun, the statement added. The embassy said the league will also contribute to raise society’s awareness of persons living with disabilities in Nepal.

Along with the basketball tournament, some awareness raising activities will also be organised in schools during which the league players will share their stories with students and sensitise them to the issues faced by people with disabilities in an interactive setting.