Anne Wafula Strike
Paralympian, Rights and Inclusion Campaigner, Keynote Speaker and Founder of Olympia-Wafula Foundation
Anne Wafula Strike MBE challenges misconceptions about disability. Athlete, author, disability and inclusion champion, and sporting ambassador; Anne inspires achievement and excellence through motivational talks that encourage others to overcome difficulties and maximise their potential.
In 2004, Anne became the first wheelchair racer from Sub-Saharan Africa to compete at the Paralympics. She uses her life meaningfully, with a purpose to inspire people facing challenges to tap into the latent power that lies within them.
Anne is a disability rights and inclusion campaigner and she has lobbied organisations and government to ensure access and inclusion is on the agenda. Anne is a Board member of UK Athletics, British Paralympics Assassination, Active Essex and Sports Chaplaincy UK.
She founded Olympia-Wafula Foundation to promote healthy living solutions for people with disabilities emphasising education, mobility and advocacy to empower and enrich their lives through social inclusion. She also supports various charities in the capacity of ambassador, champion and patron.
She is the author of the award winning autobiography In My Dreams I Dance (published by Harper Colins). The book is set for an update due to public demand for the incredible story.
In 2014, Anne was awarded an MBE by The Queen for her services to Charity and disability sport. In 2018, she was awarded an Honorary Doctorate (Doctor of Health Sciences) by York St John University. In 2019, Anne was recognised by the iNews as one of the 100 leading Black women in the world.
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“When you have a disability, knowing that you are not defined by it is the sweetest feeling”.