Organization Profile

‎The Liberia National Wheelchair Basketball Federation (LNWBF) is a legally register non-governmental wheelchair basketball sports organization that has its articles of incorporation from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Republic of Liberia, Accreditations from the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning and Ministry of Youth and Sports Republic of Liberia respectively. LNWBF is a Member of the International Wheel-chair Basketball Federation (IWBF-World) with its headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland.

‎Total number of physically challenged Liberians playing wheelchair in the Republic of Liberia are 288 Players.

‎By the end of Liberia's brutal, bloody and devastating 14 years civil war August 2003, thousands of physically challenged Liberian wheelchair users and other physically challenged persons are seen daily languishing in communities across the country with depression and loneliness with no hope in sight. If not all, most physically challenged wheelchair users and other physically challenged persons do not go to school because of the inaccessibility of school campuses and the lack of financial assistance ‎and support from the Government of Liberia that leaves them idle, illiterate, unskilled, distressed, marginalized, excluded, rejected and deprived. This trend continues to keep them in abject poverty, impoverishment and abandonment. Further, because of deep rooted exclusion and stigmatization from family members and society, many thus prefer to stay quarantined, which only adds more suffering to their lives.

‎The alternative is to support this minority group of people by involving them in wheelchair basketball (sport) which will keep them physically as well as mentally fit, whilst on the other hand, it helps change the mindsets of their families and society regarding their limitations as people with physical challenges.

‎Therefore, involving these vulnerable and disadvantaged wheelchair users and most if not all youthful physically challenged Liberians in wheelchair basketball sport will enable them to remain active, healthy and be motivated citizens who contribute to the nation building process.

‎In view of this urgent necessity Ambassador Saizai Lionel E. Johnson established LNWBF July 18, 2019, to give wheelchair users and other physically challenged self-esteem, - maximum relief, and hope in the - midst of their dejection.

‎Since the establishment of LNWBF - July 18, 2019, we have recruited 651 - vulnerable physically challenged Liberians that were trained as wheel-- chair basketball players, only 288 came out professional.

‎Ambassador Saizai Lionel E. - Johnson (pictured), who is the -founder, is also physically challenged himself. He is a passionate Development Economist, an endearing Father, Social Worker, global advocate for the physically challenged, and -Human Rights champion. Ambassador Johnson is faithfully married to the Rev. Mother Esther K. Johnson and is the Senior Elder of the Chris-tian Light Ministries International Incorporated [CLMII] Church.

‎The Liberia National Wheelchair Basketball Federation LNWBF recently participated in the just ended Under 23 International Wheelchair Basketball Federation World Tournament Qualifiers hosted in Johannesburg, South Africa. This was the first LNWBF participation in an international tournament, though the team failed to win a single game at the events. This result further high lights the many challenges faced by the LNWBF back at its headquarter in Monrovia, Liberia.

‎Among many challenges faced b the LNWBF, we are currently in din need of sports wheelchairs for our players. We need at least 100 pieces more of Sports Wheelchairs for Liberia's team, for both the men and women teams.