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By Allieu Bockarie
The Development Officer of the International Paralympics Committee (IPC), Carolin Rickers has stated that Sierra Leone is a very special Country for her, taking into consideration she met her husband, with whom they have three children here.
The Membership Programme Senior Manager of International Paralympic Committee in German, made this revelation at the National Olympic Committee (NOC) office at 23 Howe Street, Freetown, during the opening ceremony of the ‘In Country Support Programme’ for the National Paralympics Committee of Sierra Leone (NPC-SLE) which started yesterday, Monday April 17 and will conclude on Thursday April 20 2023.
In his opening remarks, the President of the National Paralympics Committee Unisa Deen Kargbo (UDK) welcomed the IPC Development Officer and thanked her for coming back to Sierra Leone despite in a different capacity.
“We’ve been waiting for this day to cement our recognition that we are doing something pertaining Paralympic activities. “Today we are here to be recognized by the Internal Paralympic Committee,” he said while presenting the Development Officer from the IPC Carolin Rickers to the Paralympic family in Sierra Leone.
He underscored that it was not the first time meeting with Madam Rickers whom he said has also played a very important role in the development of Sierra Leone when she was working in Sierra Leone in a very difficult time with Right to Play at the time Sierra Leoneans were running away during the war.
Unisa explained that when he went to Germany to do his Masters she was one the people who walked him through and that was the time he met her. He went on that Carolin told him that she was once in Sierra Leone and he was very much impressed. “She provided me needed assistance to ensure that I sail through to success,” UDK said.
Unisa said she was present when he returned few years ago with the organization and capacity programme and launched the OCP programme. Today she is here in another capacity, he affirmed. Funding is our biggest challenge and you all know that we have been developing Para with our monthly salaries, he lamented. “We pay license fees for our athletes every year with our own monthly salaries, we pay classification for our athletes and now we have launched a new programme that will give room to more funding,” he noted. UDK said they had applied for the project twice but were only successful and part of that project money went towards the payment of their licenses and yearly subscription. Caroline Rickers he said has also been a top athlete, playing women football at top level and has also been a coach at top level coaching Werder Bremen which he said many of them follows that team and as they can see she is more athlete,” UDK affirmed.
The NPS-SLE President also revealed the good news that there will be training camp in Ghana wherein they have approved five Para-athletes to be part of that camping and they are assessing the coaches and classifiers whom he expressed hope to be successful.
In her statement, Carolin Rickers disclosed that she was in Koidu, Kono in the Eastern Region of Sierra Leone as an employee for ‘Right to Play, noting that coming back to Sierra Leone after 17 years, was very special to her. Sierra Leone she said is also a very special Country for her because it’s here she met her husband whom she said is from Italy so without Sierra Leone she couldn’t have those three Children she have today. I think that’s very obvious why this Country is so special to me, the memories I have is very dear to me,” she stated.
She highlighted what will happen in the next few days the programme is going to be a flexible programme within these three days. “We are going to have different ideas, interviews in the areas of work and of the IPC governance, planning, marketing, communication, organization, development, and astute development.”
The next day, she said is dedicated to the grant training as they know this is the area that is difficult more for many NPCs because getting funds to implement activities, develop athletes is not easy so this what the next day program is all about especially to know how to make use of the grant the IPC makes available and then on the third day this is special day where you all can come.”
Nigerian counterparts, with over 30 professional riders that represented different African countries in the Third Edition.
After the race Conteh said: “I came to defend my title, I felt so bad for the result. I blame the organisers. I never knew we were going to the finishing touch, I never saw any signal,” Fatima stressed.
“My focus is now on Tour De Lunsar. I will be defending my championship”, Deborah concluded.
RideAfrique is an international cycling competition held annually in Ghana, meant mainly for professional riders; male and female, from different African countries.
In April 2022, Deborah emerged champions in the second edition of RideAfrique in the female category, beating over 20 professional riders from across the continent.
