Promoting Rights Awareness and Job Opportunities for Women with Disabilities
Our latest project focuses exclusively on women and young girls. Under this project we use the innovative powers of GSM/SMS technologies introduced into Nigeria by the Chief Olusegum Obasanjo administration to educate, inform and empower women with disabilities on their fundamental rights, their health, sexuality and reproductive rights and on HIV/AIDS prevention.
About You
Section 1: About You
First Name
Ability-in-Disability
Last Name
Initiative
Country
Nigeria
Section 2: About Your Organization
Is your initiative connected to an established organization?
Yes
Organization Name
Ability-in-Disability Initiative
Organization Website
Organization Phone
+234 803 668 1133
Organization Address
4 River Lane, GRA, PO Box 3665, Enugu, Nigeria
Organization Country
Nigeria
Is your organization a
Non‐profit/NGO/citizen sector organization
How long has this organization been operating?
1‐5 years
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Your idea
Name Your Project
Promoting Rights Awareness and Job Opportunities for Women with Disabilities
Describe Your Idea
Our latest project focuses exclusively on women and young girls. Under this project we use the innovative powers of GSM/SMS technologies introduced into Nigeria by the Chief Olusegum Obasanjo administration to educate, inform and empower women with disabilities on their fundamental rights, their health, sexuality and reproductive rights and on HIV/AIDS prevention.
Country your work focuses on
Nigeria
Innovation
What makes your idea unique?
People living with disabilities are amongst the poorest and most vulnerable in our society. They face many difficulties such as social exclusion, stigmatization, inability to access health care service, education and full participation in the activities of society. Disabled women are the most neglected group. The idea behind this project is to use the innovative powers of GSM/SMS technologies introduced into Nigeria by the Chief Olusegum Obasanjo administration to educate, inform and empower women with disabilities on their fundamental rights, their health, sexuality and reproductive rights and on HIV/AIDS prevention. In building livelihood skills of project target group, the project focuses on seven basic trades, namely tailoring (using electrically powered sewing machines, which can easily be operated by women with disabilities, especially Polio Victims by softly touching a bottom(s) on the machine), computer graphics/design/programming/operation, IT career, computer maintenance, GSM repairs, printing and selling of GSM recharge cards, and use of innovative technologies such as motorized wheelchairs towards overcoming development challenges. The project groups is underserved and have not benefited from past efforts at communicating the causes, treatment, management, prevention, inducing voluntary testing compliance etc of HIV/AIDS to the masses. Yet these people continue to procreate day in and day out. There is need to employ a means accessible and acceptable to them such as the GSM/SMS technologies to inform them on best practices for the prevention of mother to child transmission of HIV/AIDS, the need for voluntary testing and so on. For special cases of disabilities such as the deaf and dumb, GSM text messages techniques best serves to deliver HIV/AIDS Education to them. This idea is unique because it is designed, and developed by people with disabilities themselves as a way of helping themselves through the use of innovative technologies.
Do you have a patent for this idea?
Yes
Impact
This Entry is about (Issues)
Tell us about the social impact of your innovation. Please include both numbers and stories as evidence of this impact
In building livelihood skills of project target group, the project focuses on seven basic trades, namely tailoring (using electrically powered sewing machines, which can easily be operated by women with disabilities, especially Polio Victims by softly touching a bottom(s) on the machine, computer graphics/design/programming/operation, IT career, computer maintenance, GSM repairs, printing and selling of GSM recharge cards, and use of innovative technologies as motorized wheelchairs towards overcoming development challenges. Our target audience includes women and young girls with disabilities between 15 - 35 years of age. The project is reaching 2,400 beneficiaries at present. The impact is wonderful - the people are curious to learn more and more! They ask questions and demand answers and solutions provided by law. When you see any of the beneficiaries coming or leaving our office she carries herself with the air of belonging and self fulfillment as against the air of self defeatism, marginalization, abandonment, neglect, discrimination that characterized their lives before they came in contact with this project. When we text any one of them saying that we want to stop sending her SMS messages, she will text back immediately to say "PLEASE DON'T STOP!" Our geographical area of coverage covers Enugu State Nigeria but we intend to extend our reach to the six geo-political regions in Nigeria if our finances improve or if a sponsor can be found. The innovation here is that the project is interactive, humorous, exploits technological advances to the benefit of the underserved and vulnerable groups and educative at the same time. It can be received, read, stored, retrieved and read again and again at any time any where through the powers of innovative technology. It is the easiest way of putting a smile on the face of women with disabilities while at the same time educating them about their rights and health.
Problem: Describe the primary problem(s) that your innovation is addressing
People living with disabilities are amongst the poorest and most vulnerable in our society. They face many difficulties such as social exclusion, stigmatization, inability to access health care, education and full participation in the activities of society.
Actions: Describe the steps that you are taking to make your innovation a success. What might prevent that success?
The steps that we are taking to make this project a success include the use of the innovative powers of GSM/SMS technologies introduced into Nigeria by the Chief Olusegum Obasanjo administration to educate, inform and empower women with disabilities on their fundamental rights, their health, sexuality and reproductive rights and on HIV/AIDS prevention. Every week we sent SMS messaqges through the GSM to project target population. To enhance the job opportunities of the project target group, we are building livelihood skills of project target group around inovative technologies paths on seven basic trades, namely tailoring (using electrically powered sewing machines, which can easily be operated by women with disabilities, especially Polio Victims by softly touching a bottom(s) on the machine), computer graphics/design/programming/operation, IT career, computer maintenance, GSM repairs, printing and selling of GSM recharge cards, and use of innovative technologies such as motorized wheelchairs towards overcoming development challenges.This idea is innovative becasuse a a survey conducted by us reveals that these group of people are grossly underserved and have not benefited from past efforts at enhancing their employment opportunities and communicating the causes, treatment, management, prevention, inducing voluntary testing compliance etc of HIV/AIDS to them. Yet these people continue to procreate day in and day out. There is, therefore, the need to employ a means accessible and acceptable to them such as the GSM/SMS technologies to inform them on best practices for the prevention of mother to child transmission of HIV/AIDS, the need for voluntary testing and so on. For special cases of disabilities such as the deaf and dumb, GSM text messages techniques best serves to deliver HIV/AIDS Education to them. Lack of funding; government policies, officials and the political climate becoming avers to the project activities can prevent the success of this project.
Results: Describe the expected results of these actions over the next three years. Please address each year separately, if possible
It is expected that this project will reduce drastically, within the short term and dismantle, within the long term, the yoke of stigmatization, discrimination and social exclusion meted out to people with disabilities in Nigeria. It will equally enhance the job opportunities of people with disabilities. Within the first year, there has been an increase in the number of people with disabilities who are well informed on HIV/AIDS prevention, i.e., (+2,400). This number are now also aware that they could become self employed through the use of innovative technologies and are eager to avail themselves of the golden opportunity. Within its two years of operation, the project will help to induce voulntary testing for HIV/AIDS amongst project target group. It will increase the use of condum during sex, (+2,400). More and more people with disabilities will begin to know about their fundamental rights, their health, sexuality and reproductive rights. More people people with disabilities will start to ask questions, demand for better services, go for HIV/AIDS test and if "positive" willing to go for treatment. More and more people with disabilities will become rights educators as we shall always urge them to foward each message to "a friend." It will bring about good health and well being of society especially those of us living with disabilities. It will help them to have access to education, health care, and to participate fully in activities of society. This shall come during its third year of operation.
How many people will your project serve annually?
1001‐10,000
What is the average monthly household income in your target community, in US Dollars?
Less than $50
Does your innovation seek to have an impact on public policy?
Yes
If your innovation seeks to impact public policy, how?
There are many good laws and public policies to help uplift the lives of people with disabilities in Nigeria but the problem is that these laws and policies are never implemented to their fullest because people with disabilities are either ignorant of their rights or have not learnt to take their fate by their own hands in a civil and legal manner. The policy of non-implementation will change and the laws shall begin to be implemented if the project target group beccome conscious of their rights and start demanding for their rights and better services. E.g., certain laws and public policies in Nigeria clearly mandates every company to employ at least one person with disabilities but only few, less than 2% (two per cent)of the companies in Nigeria have complied with such laws and policies. This project seeks to impact on such policies and ensure that these and the likes of it are invoked and implemented.
Sustainability
What stage is your project in?
Operating for 1‐5 years
Does your organization have a board of directors or an advisory board?
Yes
Does your organization have a non monetary partnerships with NGOs?
Yes
Does your organization have a non monetary partnerships with businesses?
Yes
Does your organization have a non monetary partnerships with government?
Yes
Please tell us more about how partnerships could be critical to the success of your innovation
Partnerships is critical to the success of this project because it will help the project to communicate ideas, share information and exchange best practices with other organizations including but not limited to NGOs, CBOs, CSOs, the Media, Governments, the business community, social institutions, religious bodies, and so on. Partnership will also help to ensure the sustainability of the project after the period of project implementation or funding has ended. Finally, partnership will help this project to improve its performance and service delivery to the project target group and ensure the overall success of the project.
We would like to learn more about how your initiative is financially supported. Please explain your business plan/revenue model
This project shall be supported from funds generated from membership dues, fundraising activities, freewill donations, revenue accruing from services offered to the general public at a not-for-profit basis. We shall also reach out to the local business community and government for funding. We plan to collaborate with heads of religious organizations to help us to continue to educate their congregations on the importance of this project. We also plan to partner with major mobile telecommunication network/service providers in Nigeria such as the MTN, GLO, Zain, Multi Link, and Etisalat to assist us by providing us with free or bonus SMS for bulk messeges sent by us over a given period of time.
The Story
What was the defining moment that led you to this innovation?
Sometime in 2009, at a program meeting of Ability-in-Disability Initiative, a guest speaker who incidentally is deaf and dumb, through sign language and the aid of an interpreter told members about the communication needs of people with abilities. The speaker pointed out that since GSM/SMS messages are cheap, it could be capitalized upon to improve the communication skills of people with disabilities. After deliberating on the topic, Ability-in-Disability recognized that the GSM/SMS could be used to educate, inform and empower women with disabilities on their fundamental rights, their health, sexuality and reproductive rights and on HIV/AIDS prevention. Consequently, it decided to develop this project around this theme. That project is today, "Promoting Rights Awareness and Job Opportunities for Women with Disabilities."
Tell us about the person—the social innovator—behind this idea.
The social innovator behind this project is Barrister Dan Eze. Dan is the Founder of Ability-in-Disability Initiative. He is a Legal Practitioner.
How did you first hear about Changemakers?
Web Search (e.g., Google or Yahoo)
If through another source, please provide the information
Sarah Mintz
ICRW
Does your project address any of the following barriers to women’s technology access and use?
Women’s time poverty.
If you checked any of the boxes above, please explain how.
As we hav stated earlier, people living with disabilities are amongst the poorest and most vulnerable in our society. Poverty is a barrier to women's technology access and use. This project has discovered that GSM/SMS is cheap and sometimes free. Women with disability can now explore this advantage offered by the GSM technology thereby overcoming the barriers presented by poverty.
Does your project involve women in one or more of the following stages of the technology lifecycle? Identification of the problem the technology will solve:
Technology introduction, Technology training, Technology supply and distribution, Creation and maintenance of market linkages for women's economic outputs.
If you checked any of the boxes above, please explain how you will ensure women’s involvement in each relevant phase of the technology lifecycle.
The second aspect of this project is to promote the job opportunities of women with disabilities along technologicl innovative paths. In building livelihood skills of project target group, the project focuses on seven basic trades, namely tailoring (using electrically powered sewing machines, which can easily be operated by women with disabilities, especially Polio Victims by softly touching a bottom(s) on the machine), computer graphics/design/programming/operation, IT career, computer maintenance, GSM repairs, printing and selling of GSM recharge cards, and use of innovative technologies such as motorized wheelchairs towards overcoming development challenges. These shall involve technology training via workshops and seminars, technology supply and distribution as well as creation and maintenance of market linkages for women's economic outputs and rights.
If women are a focus of your project, how did this focus evolve?
The project developed a focus on women over time..
Which type of women will your project reach directly?
Rural, Peri-urban, Urban, Low income.
In what ways does your project team/leadership involve women?
The core project team includes women..
Has your organization formed any new partnerships in response to this challenge? If so, with what type/s of organization/s?
Non-profit/NGO/community-based organization.
Has your project leadership had prior experience with the following?
Working with women, Working with technologies, Working to increase women's economic empowerment through technology, Working on innovation.
 | 108 weeks agoOsarugue Imasuen said: Your ideas are fine. I wish you great success. about this Competition Entry. - read more > |
| 108 weeks agoLinda Sampson said: Going through the above entry submitted by Ability-in-Disability Initiative, I was fascinated as the picture began to unfold in my ... about this Competition Entry. - read more > |
| 111 weeks agoBahiyah Yasmeen Robinson said: I think this is an amazing idea that can influence the rule of law in Ghana and further support women with disabilities. I was ... about this Competition Entry. - read more > |
| 111 weeks agoAbility-in-Disability Initiative updated this Competition Entry. |
| 111 weeks agoAbility-in-Disability Initiative submitted this idea. |
