Sumaiya is one of the eight women who participated in the first-ever women’s Amputee Football training camp held in Bangladesh from 6 to 10 October 2024. This initiative, led by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in coordination with Sports for Hope and Independence (SHI), the Bangladesh Amputee Football Association (BAFA) and the World Amputee Football Federation (WAFF), is part of our broader effort to promote the inclusion of people with disabilities through sports.
The journey to empowerment
Tanjila Akter Shila, another participant who lost her leg in a gas cylinder explosion a few years ago, struggled with isolation and low self-esteem before joining the Amputee Football programme. The programme provides a powerful platform to people like Shila and Sumaiya to redefine possibilities by helping them rebuild their physical strength, mental resilience and confidence.
Today, Shila is playing football and even preparing to train others as a local coach. She hopes to inspire more people with disabilities to join the sport.
By playing, we want to inspire other girls and women like us to come forward and do something.
The camp was led by a WAFF coach from England, Harry Smith, who conducted expert training sessions for 28 amputee players (men and women) and 10 local coaches and referees. For many of the participants, this was the first time they experienced formal sports training tailored to their needs and designed to help them realize and unlock their potential.
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