Special people

THERE is an unmistakeable spark of recognition in her eyes when she runs her fingers slowly and softly on her gold medals and poses for a photograph. She is concerned about the gold and silver medals not coming well in the photograph. All of a sudden, the sound of the plane flying overhead disrupts her attention from the camera.
   As she looks up through the open balcony, her doe-shaped, innocent eyes follow the plane. ‘I got on one of those,’ she tells me excitedly. ‘It went up, up and away. I was scared at first but then it was all right. And then we went to this dream town Shanghai!’ she giggles and mumbles a bit more, trying to remember the things she did.
   For eighteen-year-old Shiuli Shaathi, these medals are the most precious thing in her life. In fact, these medals and her badminton racket have for the first time instilled within her self-confidence and strength to live through the sheer adversity of her life.
   Having spent her entire childhood being called pagal (mad) and always taunted by the kids in the Gulistan slum that she lived in, Shiuli had started to believe that she was mad. ‘I wanted to play with the kids in the neighborhood, but no one would play with me. Everyone would say I am crazy and should be stayed away from. Even the parents and people around would say I am not normal and I did not know why I am not like others.’
   Indeed, Shiuli is not normal; she is, in fact, special. She laughs and plays like there is no tomorrow; she dances as though no one is watching her. At eighteen, she has a cherubic face and thinks like an eight-year old. It is difficult for her to keep track of things around her or often she fails to remember what she was saying, about five minutes ago. She repeats most of the things and loses her temper when she cannot express herself.
   And, it is Shiuli who has brought back two gold and silver medals for her outstanding performance in badminton at the Special Olympics World Summer Games 2007 in Shanghai, China. She is one of the 49 intellectually and multi-challenged children who participated in this year’s international event where more than 165 countries participated.
   ‘We did not know there was something wrong with her until she was four,’ says her mother, Kulsum. ‘She would not talk and respond to anything. As she grew up, my worst fears came true. My child was not normal.’
   Shiuli’s father is a rickshaw-puller and can barely afford a day’s meals for his six children. ‘We never thought our daughter would actually do something so big,’ says her mother. ‘I have so long cried about her fate but now my tears are of pride – my daughter is special.’
   Shiuli goes to a school that was formed by the Society for Welfare of Challenged. It is through the school’s students that Kulsum got to know about the Special Olympics office in Bangladesh. ‘They learn singing, reading and much more, but nothing changed her as much as sports,’ she says.
   ‘We have had so many special children who were teary, silent and often uncontrollable and it’s amazing how sports changed them,’ says Ashraf-UD-Dowla, chairman of Special Olympics, Bangladesh. ‘Being a parent of a multi-challenged child myself, I know exactly how it feels and that is the reason why, despite the many barriers, I never gave up and formed the Bangladesh Special Olympics team.’
   In was through a unique opportunity that Ashraf, who was then on in the oard for the Society for Education and Care for Mentally Challenged, was invited to Menopolis in 1991 by the Special Olympics director.
   Eunice Kennedy Shriver, sister of the slain US president John F Kennedy, founded the organisation in 1962, inspired by her late sister Rosemary, who was intellectually challenged. It has the objective of helping people with intellectual disabilities develop self-confidence and social skills through sports training and competition. Among other activities, Special Olympics conducts the Special Olympics World Games every four years. In 1988, it was recognized by the International Olympic Committee.
   ‘We headed out with five athletes and two coaches and had no expectation. But that small team performed so well that we were asked to start a programme. The formation process was perhaps the most challenging part.’
   While Ashraf was adamant about forming a team and participating in the next event, he received no support. ‘The issue of Special Olympics was sadly a matter of least importance on the government’s agenda. When there was no other alternative, we arranged the money from our own pocket.’
   By 1994, it had been accredited and Bangladesh was officially recognised as a participating team. ‘We participated in the first Asia-Pacific Special Olympics in 1996 with a total of 15 athletes and 7 coaches at our own cost.’
   As the team succeeded and brought back medals and recognition, it finally began to capture the attention of many who had earlier refused to recognise it. ‘By 1999, we had received full government support to participate in the Special Olympics and also train our teams,’ says Ashraf. ‘The whole procedure was so lengthy. Yet, as I look back, I know that each bit of energy I put in running like crazy and making sure this programme survives has been worth it.’
   This year, at Shanghai, Bangladesh won 31 gold, 16 silver and 18 bronze medals in the Special Olympics World Summer Games 2007 held in October 2-11. The Bangladesh team won the medals from athletics, badminton, table tennis, bocce, swimming and cricket competing against 165 countries across the world.
   ‘It’s more like training your own child,’ says Nazneen Farhad, a coach for the Special Olympics team. ‘We get so emotionally involved with them, simply because, we don’t just teach them how to play; rather, we support them, stand by them and help them understand each and every move and step.’
   ‘Hats off to the trainers, coaches and volunteers,’ Ashraf says. ‘It would have been impossible without them.’
   ‘I love all the coaches – they are my friends,’ says Rusho Muhammad Bin Abdullah, one of the intellectually challenged athletes. ‘I loved the training. The place had a huge field and trees,’ he says referring to the three-month training at Bangladesh Krira Shiksha Pratisthan.
   ‘Now I have so many friends and she is also my friend and we play together a lot,’ says Shiuli pointing at a girl sitting in the distant chair lost in her own world and humming something.
   As Shiuli tells her to sing a song for us, Shammi (19) sings ‘Bhalo lage’ in her angelic voice. As soon as Rusho stands up to sing along, these special athletes clap, smile and sing along joyously and unstintingly.
   Tahmina Shafique