NAIROBI, Kenya, February 28, 2025 – Special Olympics Kenya (SOK) board secretary Dennis Ndambo is confident Kenya will amass a lot of medals at next week’s Winter Olympics in Italy.
Ndambo believes the team can continue Kenya’s longstanding tradition of success in the Special Olympics.
“Special Olympics Kenya is the most successful olympics team…even when you compare it to the general Olympics that other teams go for. We came back with our highest number of medals from Berlin (2023). Even as we go for the Winter Olympics, we do believe that they will come back with an even better performance. The team is small but we hope they will be able to do much better,” Ndambo said.
The secretary says the success of the team is down to close cooperation between SOK and various stakeholders, such as the government, teachers in schools and the NGO Board.
“We appreciate all the people we work with from the grassroots throughout the country…the various teachers who work with our athletes in schools. We also partner with the Ministry of Education to ensure that our athletes go to school and are not left out,” he said.
Ndambo added: “We provide health screenings in partnership with Lions International and this partnership with the National Bank of Kenya actually stretches back more than 20 years. I remember when I started volunteering with SOK, more than 30 years ago, NBK has been working with us.”
The secretary was speaking after receiving Ksh 1 million sponsorship from National Bank of Kenya (NBK) on Thursday afternoon.
Speaking at the same time, NBK Managing Director George Odhiambo noted that the Bank is committed towards empowering the sports community which aligns with its broader sustainability agenda.
“Sports plays a powerful unifying role, and we are honoured to support our athletes with Intellectual Disability as they prepare to represent Kenya on the global stage. This sponsorship underscores our belief in the power of sports to drive positive social change and create opportunities for all,” Odhiambo said.
Echoing his sentiments, Special Olympics Kenya Board Treasurer Caroline Mugadi said the sponsorship will go a long way in enhancing inclusivity through sports.
“We are grateful for NBK’s support, which will go a long way in ensuring that our athletes are well-prepared to compete at the World Games level. This partnership is a testament to the power of collaboration in creating an inclusive society where athletes with intellectual disabilities can thrive,” she said.
The World Winter Games, set to take place in the Piedmont Region, will bring together over 1,500 athletes from more than one hundred countries, marking the first edition of the event since 2017.
The team will depart for Turin on March 6 ahead of the opening ceremony a day later.
The competition runs until March 16 and will see athletes battling across eight different sports.
