To reduce the barrier of the community of persons with disabilities in Lagos State, the United States and Project Enable Africa have set up a disability friendly digital hub at the Lagos office of the Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities (JONAPWD).
Project Enable, a Nigerian civic organisation set up the digital hub with the support of the US Government Alumni Engagement Innovation Fund of $25, 000. The US Consulate General in Lagos also provided an additional funding of $4,401 to keep the digital hub running.
Speaking at the formal opening of the digital hub, Darcy Zotter, acting consulate general, explained that promoting disability rights is an integral part of promotion of human rights, adding that discrimination against people with disabilities is not only unjust but hinders economic development and limits democracy and social cohesion.
“We are happy to identify with this initiative which seeks to promote the empowerment and social inclusions of persons living with disabilities in Nigeria. Through this technology and entrepreneurship hub, over 250 people with disabilities will have free access to inclusive technology,” said Zotter.
“An additional 20 young persons with disabilities will be trained and mentored in various technology-based skills at the hub,” Acting Consul General Darcy Zotter said at the event attended by civil society leaders and senior government officials working on disability issues.
The technology and entrepreneurship hub seeks to promote the empowerment and social inclusion of persons with disabilities. It will provide volunteer opportunities to young people with disabilities while serving as a center for their continuous development in entrepreneurship.
Also speaking during the launch, Olusola Owonikoko, founder, Project Enable Africa and alumni of the Mandela Washington Fellowship said that the driving principle of the organisation is to ensure that the rights of everyone is protected irrespective of their disabilities and should have equal access education and opportunities.
“It is important for the society to understand that having a form of disability is not the end of the world and the society need to come together to ensure that the disabilities are well included in the society. Our main focus is to ensure that we help the society to understand that we are all humans, and we all have the right to live, vote and be voted for, and achieve all we desire,” Owonikoko said.
He appealed to the Nigerian Senate to pass the disability bill so as to provide a national framework for the protection of disability rights and social inclusion.
Other partners of the initiative include HACEY Health Initiative and Access Bank PLC.
Angel James
