Next time you go for a ride, imagine you are cycling down the middle of the M25 with gaping potholes, far from roadworthy semi-trailers zipping by and a pedal has broken off so you’re forced to pedal with one leg. You can even try it if you want, but avoid the M25!
Alem Mumuni is a paralympian crippled by Polio when he was 2 years old. A passionate one-legged cyclist, he takes on such harrowing conditions around Accra whilst training hard to qualify for the 2016 Rio Paralympic Games. Why does he constantly endanger his personal well-being for Paralympic glory? Well love and passion for cycling for a start. He has been riding with one leg since he learnt how to walk with a stick at 8 years old. But more importantly, it’s the personal ambition to raise awareness and change perceptions for disabled and under-privileged children in his beloved nation,
Ghana is a progressive African nation. In the last decade it has accelerated its economic growth and has achieved its Millenium Development Goal goal of halving poverty. All well and good BUT the credibility of this data is brought into question when you focus on indicators of progress like education and equality. Although schooling is subsidised, enrolment rates for primary and pre-primary education are only 88% and 62% respectively. Attendance is heavily influenced by family income. Many kids are put to work by their parents instead of attending school. To exacerbate the issue, quality of education is inhibited by the fact that only 62% of teachers actually have formal training.
Equality for disabled people is even more unbalanced. Much infrastructure does not cater for the disabled. Research shows 60% of respondents are of the opinion that people with disabilities (PWD) are not treated fairly in society and 43% think PWDs are discriminated against. In reality, one boy Alem has sponsored via the Alem Foundation, Martin, could not attend school anymore as his class was moved upstairs with no disabled access arranged!
So how do the needy get protected? At the moment it is not going to be the government as it faces major challenges with currency depreciation, a deepening energy crisis, macroeconomic imbalance, rising interest rates and inflation. It needs to be the people!
Alem is one of many in Ghana standing up and making a difference. Whilst training relentlessly for the London games, he and coach Alexandra Main (Head Coach for Ghana Paralympic team in 2012) founded the Alem Foundation in order to support the local community that reside in a village called Old Akrade. Since 2012, Alem Foundation has awarded 33 education scholarships to children in the village and surrounding area, funded life-saving surgery for a beautiful little girl called Venyunye, sent two blind boys to a specialist blind school and recently delivered 70 water filters to secure a clean water resource for all families in the village. This is just the beginning of a big vision from a grassroots foundation!
I have the privilege in working with Alem to help him achieve his dream. I have seen what small amounts of money can do in Ghana. £35 can give a family clean drinking water! Travelling to Ghana to meet the sponsored children and the community recently, I was moved by how ambitious these kids are. Even though they have nothing: no money, little food, no clean water (until now) and little clothing - just big hearts! Alem Foundation is empowered to give these kids the tools to succeed and is a direct-to-source charity so you know the money is going to where it needs to be!
Alem is wearing the yellow jersey with pride in this race for equality and opportunity. Cyclist or not, you can break free of the peloton too and make a difference. If you want to get involved check out the fundraising campaigns on crowdf unding platform - KriticalMass.com - www.kriticalmass.com/p/alemfoundation OR check out Alem’s journey to Rio - www.kriticalmass.com/p/alem2rio2016.
Credit :Alistair Lamond
Experienced Sales Manager in Fintech
- Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- Financial Services
