Our Foundation & Origin
The
International Youth Sports and Disabled Federation (UGESFED) was founded in 2021 in Ankara, Türkiye. It was established by dedicated advocates and youth leaders to dismantle the physical, digital, and systemic barriers encountered by visually impaired, low-vision, and physically disabled youth.
From its inception, UGESFED set out with a clear purpose: moving beyond traditional charity models to empower disabled individuals as self-advocates, active athletes, entrepreneurs, and key decision-makers across society.
Milestones & Key Phases
- 2021 | Foundation and Institutional Setup:
Established as an umbrella federation in Ankara, bringing together grassroots disability associations to defend socio-economic, vocational, and athletic rights.
- 2022 | Rights-Based Advocacy & Accessibility:
Launched structured audits and legislative advocacy to ensure full architectural and environmental accessibility across public spaces and sports complexes, alongside vocational skills initiatives.
- 2023 | Adaptive Sports Expansion:
Scaled up grassroots athletic clinics and friendly competitions in Goalball, Blind Football (B1), and accessible strategy sports (tactile chess and dominoes), utilizing sports as a catalyst for social integration.
- 2024 - 2025 | Youth & Women Councils & Digital Inclusion:
Institutionalized participatory democracy through dedicated internal bodies—the Youth Council and Women’s Council—fostering civic leadership and gender equality. Championed assistive digital tools and screen-reader accessibility for visually impaired athletes.
- 2026 & Beyond | European & Global Engagement:
Expanded transnational operations through EU Erasmus+ youth mobility actions (KA152) and international civil society alliances, connecting disabled and sighted youth across borders to build solidarity and inclusive leadership.
