- News Wrap
- Disability Rights
- Economic Empowerment
- Eye Health
- Inclusive Education
Our work, successes and impact in July 2024.
Youth with disabilities set for success with We Can Work Academy
The We Can Work Academy has kicked off its Core Life Skills training programme for 367 young women and men with disabilities in Uganda, Rwanda, Ethiopia, Kenya, Ghana, and Nigeria.
Participants choose a career path focused on waged employment, entrepreneurship or technical expertise. They also learn core life skills, including sexual reproductive health rights, and receive mental health support and training on how to cope with stress and build resilience.
The programme is a collaboration between Light for the World, Mastercard Foundation, African Disability Forum, seven National Organisations of Persons with Disabilities across the seven African countries and Crosswise Works, which is our technical support partner.
Inclusive elections tips
Our latest article highlights the urgent need for disability-inclusive voting processes as the world prepares for a landmark election year in 2024. With half the global population set to vote, one in six people risk exclusion from this fundamental democratic right.
The piece outlines five strategies for ensuring equal voting access:
- Early engagement with disability organisations
- Creating accessible party platforms
- Ensuring equal access on voting day
- Monitoring inclusion throughout the process
- Providing inclusive post-election information
Read the complete article here.
Boosting skills for inclusive employment in Kenya
We’re proud to introduce our Future Makers 2.0 programme, funded by the Standard Chartered Foundation. This three-year initiative will equip 2,000 young people in Kenya, including those with disabilities, with market-relevant skills through training, mentorship and job placement.
Future Makers 2.0 is led by Sightsavers, Light for the World and United Disabled Persons of Kenya (UDPK). Together, we’re prioritising disability inclusion and decent work opportunities. We partner with universities, Technical and Vocational Education and Training institutes (TVETs) and youth organisations to promote sustainable employment and entrepreneurship.
Our approach focuses on developing individual skills, driving systemic changes, enhancing life skills and encouraging employers to adopt inclusive practices. Together, we’re building a more inclusive future for Kenya’s workforce.
Fostering inclusive education: new computer equipment for Sofala community
Access to education is a human right, and assistive technology plays a crucial role in inclusive education.
We’ve provided essential computer equipment to the Sofala Provincial Directorate of Education in Mozambique. As part of the InPower programme, we support inclusive education, especially for students with visual impairments.
The package includes a braille printer, a DELL computer, a power processor and two reams of braille paper to address the educational needs of students. The InPower programme is implemented by Light for the World and funded by the Austrian Development Cooperation.
In case you missed it…
- Farms. Food. Future. podcast, hosted by IFAD, interviewed SPARK Disability Inclusion Facilitator Carolina Alfredo Benesse. The episode explores how embracing diversity, particularly including people with disabilities, can enhance agricultural development across rural communities.
- Subscribe to our ‘Partnership Insights‘ newsletter for updates in English, French and Portuguese on resources, training, and funding opportunities.
- Want to learn what Light for the World did in 2023 to spark long-lasting change? Check out our Annual Report.
