Women athletes face uphill battle to play competitively

JANE NDENGA, a professional award-winning tennis player and CEO of Disabled Empowerment Society of Kenya, shares with BERYL RINGOS the challenges women in her situation undergo in sports.

Sports has always been perceived as a unifying factor which transcends many barriers.

My curiosity is drawn to sports for persons with disabilities and to be precise on women. Jane Ndenga, a professional award-winning tennis player and CEO of Disabled Empowerment Society of Kenya, shares her experiences.

Jane Ndenga.

"Women with disabilities often face a myriad of societal barriers first as a woman and second as a woman with a disability, and sports negative perceptions and discrimination in many societies," says Ndenga.

The unique ability of sports to transcend linguistic, cultural, and social barriers makes it an excellent platform for strategies of inclusion and adaptation.

Ndenga says that, due to the stigma associated with disability, such women are generally excluded from education, employment, and community life.

"Through sports, persons with disabilities acquire vital social skills, develop independence, and become empowered to be agents of change".

The award-winning sportswoman joined disability sports in 2008 with wheelchair basketball, then later sitting volleyball and before she knew it she was in power-lifting. The ever-jovial tennis player persistently continued to train for all sports until she was elected sitting volleyball federation secretary for four years.

"Although I was teased a lot in school, the teachers and fellow students only saw me as a spectator and often asked me to watch over their bags during sports competitions.

"When wheelchair tennis was introduced, I took a challenge to participate and I made it to the national team in 2012. I got into the national team after training for less than a month. I fell in love with wheelchair tennis and ever since it became my primary sport."

Facilities

Sports facilities have been a hindrance to performance in certain disciplines and sports for persons with disability is not an exception.

"We haven't factored in sports facilities in the country. Compared to other sports, disability sport/game is quite challenging because the facilities need to be accessible for example they must have reasonable accommodation for all, including washroom doors," she says.

According to Ndenga, another challenge she has faced as a woman in sports with disability is whereby they get referred to by their disability instead of their names.

She says many of them lack confidence due to poor or slow learning of skills perceptions.

There are cases where they go through sexual harassment silently.

"Men tend to take advantage of women with disabilities in sports. They pretend to love these woman and visit them at night because they are afraid of being seen with a woman with disability. Some men steal the monies which these sportswomen have work hard for."

Achievements

"My proudest moments was when I first qualified for the world team cup in 2014, 2017 and 2018 and the best of all is when I won Sports Personality of the Year (SOYA) Award in 2018.

Ndenga remembers that I didn't ask her about marriage, or future plans.

"You didn't ask me whether I intend to get married one day and have children. I pray day and night for God to send me the one he kept for me and bless me with only one child-boy or a girl I will love him/her the same.

Medals

10 gold, 8 silvers, and three bronze medals

-Currently Kenya seed one, and Africa no.6

-Serves as a tennis Kenya board member

-Wheelchair Tennis National coordinator

-Former Africa representative on International Tennis Federation Wheelchair council.