IPC’s groundbreaking project delivers impactful results in the Americas

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The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) successfully completed the third phase of its groundbreaking project En Sus Marcas, Listos… Inclusion (ELI) in 2024. Launched in 2017, the project used Para sport as a key tool in delivering socio-economic inclusion for people with disabilities across the Americas.

It also strengthened national Paralympic structures in Latin America, increased awareness and understanding of Para sport across the region while changing perceptions of disability, and saw participating countries enjoy greater medal success at the Paralympic Games.

A partnership between the IPC and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), the ELI project was launched with an investment of EUR 1.6 million over six years. The first phase of the project focused efforts in 10 vulnerable communities in Colombia, Ecuador, El Salvador, Nicaragua and Peru. The second phase (ELI II) began in 2019 and expanded activities to Argentina, Chile and the Dominican Republic. The latest phase (ELI III) was launched in 2022 and ran until the end of 2024. It aimed to improve access to Para sport in Guatemala, Paraguay and Trinidad and Tobago.

A participant of the first phase, National Paralympic Committee (NPC) Colombia acted as mentor in ELI II and ELI III, demonstrating the success of the project in strengthening organisational capacity and leadership, as well as equipping national and regional organisations to become drivers of Para sport development. The NPC shared best practices, led discussions around improving access to Para sport, and showcased communication strategies to amplify key messages around Para sports. In each phase the IPC advised on the development of institutional plans to strengthen participating NPC organisations.

Kristina Molloy, the IPC’s Chief Membership and Impact Officer, said: “Our programmes are built on the principle that every person with a disability should have the opportunity to experience the transformative power of sport and of being active. The ELI project has done exactly that - it is changing perceptions of people with disabilities in the communities in which they live.

“With the tremendous support of the IDB, we have put in place a system of Para sport opportunities in some of the most vulnerable communities in South, Central America and Caribbean. This has not only created consistent opportunities for Para sport at the grassroots level but also enabled the development of Para athletes to compete on the international stage.”

Melissa Tillner Galeano, a Para athlete from Paraguay, who competed at the Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, and met with the President of Paraguay in November 2024, said: “The platform that ELI III has provided is very important for helping us to make the Paralympic Movement more visible. Workshops like these are also helping to bridge knowledge gaps in more remote areas of the country.”

En Sus, Marcas… Inclusion III activities included NPC operational and governance evaluations, development of action plans, and regional leaders training sessions. Participating NPCs also rolled out communications campaigns and delivered national workshops and Para Sport Festivals. This led to greater interest in the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games and local Para athletes resulting in increased media coverage on social media, newspapers, radio and television. Akeem Stewart, Trinidad and Tobago’s lone representative at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games who won silver in the men’s discuss event, also benefitted from improved media coverage.

Through the exchange of experiences and the creation of regional training programmes, the project increased the skill and knowledge level of athletes, coaches and technical professionals.

At one of the Para sport festivals held in Paraguay’s remote Encarnacion province, Para badminton coach Ariel Benitez commented: “It [was] a pleasure to be here in Encarnacion in the En Sus Marcas, Listos…Inclusion! workshop to demonstrate Para badminton and hopefully attract potential talents to our sports.

“Events like this are not only important for the development of Para badminton but are also a fundamental part of continuing to push for social inclusion in our country.”

A closing workshop was held on 5 December 2024, bringing together representatives from the IDB and the NPCs of Guatemala, Trinidad and Tobago, Paraguay, and Colombia, to take stock of the project's results and achievements, reflect on lessons learned, and discuss efforts to ensure its sustainability and legacy.

Phase III of the project benefited over 570 community members who participated in workshops and festivals. A total of 43 per cent female participation was also achieved, reflecting a gender-inclusive focus of the project.

Over the three editions of the project, from 2017 to 2024, ELI provided access to Para sport in 41 vulnerable communities in 11 countries and strengthened the institutional capacity of a third of the Americas National Paralympic Committees.

The project also provided over 800 people with access to Para sport in their communities, a right they were previously denied. This has not only changed their lives but has also had a profoundly positive impact on their families and communities. Additionally, 2,000 local leaders in vulnerable communities were trained and exposed to the Paralympic Movement, breaking down barriers and changing perceptions of disability.

At the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, the 11 NPCs that benefited from ELI won 53 medals, more than double the 25 medal wins at Rio 2016.

The ELI project’s successful approach, using Para sport as a key tool in delivering socio-economic inclusion for people with disabilities, is now a model that the IPC is implementing in other regions across the globe to advance the Paralympic Movement.

En sus marcas, listos... Inclusión: Nelfi Guarnizo Lozano

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IPC’s groundbreaking project delivers impactful results in the Americas

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