ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia — In the east of Addis Ababa, inside the vast grounds of the Ethiopian Youth Sports Academy and located in the shadow of the capital city’s national stadium, players and coaches begin to arrive at the outdoor basketball courts for an 8.30 a.m. start to the day’s wheelchair basketball training.
As the sun beats down they begin to talk among themselves, shoot some hoops, and make the transition from crutches or wheelchairs to their basketball wheelchairs — which come in a shiny red and lend themselves to more freedom of movement on the court.
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This has been the routine for a week, as the group — coming from countries affected by conflict such as the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Sudan, Rwanda, and Tanzania as well as Ethiopia — take part in a two week wheelchair basketball training run by The International Committee of the Red Cross in collaboration with the Ethiopian Basketball Federation.
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About the authors
Rebecca L. Root
Rebecca L. Root is a freelance reporter for Devex based in Bangkok. Previously senior associate & reporter, she produced news stories, video, and podcasts as well as partnership content. She has a background in finance, travel, and global development journalism and has written for a variety of publications while living and working in Bangkok, New York, London, and Barcelona.
Naomi Mihara
Naomi Mihara is an Associate Editor for Devex, working on creative and audiovisual projects. She has a background in journalism and international development, having previously served as an assistant correspondent for Japanese newspaper The Yomiuri Shimbun and as a communications officer for the International Organization for Migration in Southeast Asia. She holds a master’s degree in Multimedia Journalism from Bournemouth University.