Johanna Benson Foundation launched

“A model such as this - where elite athletes and Paralympians become the faces of new organisations aiming to develop para-sport in their own countries - is something which we are very pleased to see.”

Namibia’s most successful Paralympian Johanna Benson has become the patron of a charity in her home country of Namibia, founded to discover new talent and support athletes to compete on an international stage.

The Johanna Benson Foundation is dedicated to ensuring that disabled athletes who have the potential to compete at the highest levels will be given the support and resources they need.

The Foundation brings together several national sporting and government bodies including Disability Sport Namibia and the Sport Commission of Namibia.

The Johanna Benson Foundation was presented to founding and former President Sam Nujoma at a special ceremony by a delegation which included the chief executive officer of the National Disability Council of Namibia, Martin Limbo; Joseph Ndinomupya, a council member of the National Disability Council of Namibia; and the secretary general of Disability Sport Namibia, Drusilla Kandjii, as well as Benson herself.

"I am excited to meet the former President and I am excited by the Johanna Benson Foundation. There are a lot of talented athletes in Namibia and this foundation will be able to help other upcoming athletes," she said.

Speaking to Namibian media at the launch, Martin Limbo explained of the power of having an internationally successful athlete to inspire future generations:

"We are using Johanna Benson's name, who is the patron, so that it will remind people of her achievements and how much we value her. That legacy must be kept alive and that's the reason for the establishment of this foundation," he said.

"The purpose of the Johanna Benson Foundation will be to ensure that upcoming Paralympic athletes and those who are doing Special Olympics in all 14 regions of the country will be given a chance to showcase their skills and if there is talent that we can identify through Disability Sport Namibia and the Sport Commission of Namibia, then those people will be identified and funded through the foundation to go for higher achievements."

Limbo has pledged long-term support from the National Disability Council of Namibia in assisting in gaining funding for the foundation:

"The council will get involved in ensuring that we solicit funding, and also make use of the founding President's office, for us to achieve better facilities and more funding from other stakeholders.”

There may also be long term potential for the foundation to provide support to retired athletes, according to Drusiila Kandjii:

"What will Johanna Benson do after retirement? So we also want to look at the possibility of providing education and jobs for her and our other athletes."

The International Paralympic Committee’s (IPC) own development arm - the Agitos Foundation - is also excited by the emergence of organisations like the Johanna Benson Foundation.

“A model such as this - where elite athletes and Paralympians become the faces of new organisations aiming to develop para-sport in their own countries - is something which we are very pleased to see,” Georg Schlatenberger, Director of the Agitos Foundation said.