‘A dream come true’
The first match Madol ever played was in Mahad refugee camp in the capital city of Juba, where he was living – just one of the more than 2.2 million people who have been internally displaced in South Sudan.
He recalls the intense joy he felt after playing his first match, in which teams were divided by colour – blue and red – rather than by tribe. “We lost, but everyone was so happy. That’s how we knew this was going to work.”
Madol realised that football could be used as a tool to not only bring people together despite the ongoing violence but also to challenge the stigma and discrimination that disabled people face.
South Sudan lacks official data on this front, as it does with many other social health data.
However, Light for the World estimates that there are 1.2 million South Sudanese with disabilities out of a population of 12 million.
Amid all the difficulties, the blind football initiative was launched in 2020 during the COVID-19 outbreak with just two players who had dreams of forming a league. Madol has been scoping out potential players at the Rajap school for the blind, drawing in individuals like Ellon. These days, four players make up each team in the league.
“The Blind Football Premier League is a dream come true for both me and the teams,” says Madol. They hope to participate in future international competitions, including the Paralympics.
Ellon hopes he might get to play in other countries such as Uganda and Egypt, making it a truly pan-African sport. It’s all down to the support of the coaches, he is eager to point out.
“They are very cool and humble, and know how to support us.”