Innovations for disability inclusion

If we are to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, it is essential that we test new and innovative ways to open up employment opportunities for people with disabilities.

On World Creativity and Innovation Day (21 April), we are highlighting how our Inclusive Futures programme is testing new approaches to improve the lives of people with disabilities.

Empowering farmers

In Homa Bay, Kenya, Inclusive Futures is supporting a group of farmers with disabilities to make a living growing sorghum, a key ingredient in beer. The project equips the farmers with the skills and knowledge to grow the product, which they sell to East African Breweries Ltd, a company that has been working to make its supply chain inclusive of people with disabilities.

Christopher Abuor Okwachu, the group’s secretary, says: “In Homa Bay county, most people with disabilities were not given attention, so we thought of forming this group so we could fight for our interests. We have learned through practice by the mistakes we make.”

Jeniffer is one of the 39 farmers. She says: “Before I started planting sorghum I was a maize farmer for more than 10 years, but I was not getting enough money to eat. I thought maybe this training would help me move from poverty. We were taught how to plant, so we took the seed home and did as we had been instructed.”

Inclusive education

In Nigeria, Inclusive Futures is developing a model of disability-inclusive education in eight schools with the aim of scaling it up. The SMILE project (Supporting Mainstreaming Inclusion so all can Learn Equally) is strengthening school management committees, which bridge a gap between schools and their local communities.

Working with the community has increased trust in the schools for local families and improved attendance rates among pupils. AA Awokson, head teacher at Wazari Aliyu primary school, says: “The things we have done in the school have encouraged others to come, because once the school tries to encourage them to participate in the classroom, the stories go out, people get to hear about it.

“[Parents] realise that if their children will be given such respect at that school, let’s get them enrolled there. Before this time, many parents would prefer leaving them at home, sending them for begging or things like that.”