We are Able!

Strengthening the position of people with disabilities.

That is the main goal of the five-year project We are Able! in six African countries.

Many people with disabilities in Africa also experience exclusion. For example, when it comes to living or working. With We are Able! we encourage people with disabilities to participate.

We show that they are valuable and indispensable in society. They receive support in their independent functioning. The chance of getting a job or starting their own company is increasing. With an independent income, their position improves and they can fully participate in society.

We are Able! is a five-year programme, launched by six organisations.

Helping people with disabilities achieve a fully-fledged place in their community for better food security.

We are Able! operates in DR Congo, Ethiopia, Burundi, South Sudan, Sudan, and Uganda.

How a little help can change lives

We know from experience that a little help can change lives. This photo shows a group of people who were helped by one of the projects of the Leprosy Mission. This is a self-help group in Ethiopia. The people used to suffer from leprosy but were subsequently healed, and now they have formed a new type of family. People with leprosy are often rejected by their families and communities because of stigma (“leprosy is a punishment from the gods”) or fear of contamination. In these self-help groups, people support and assist each other, like a family does. They can live with independence and dignity once again.

Latest news

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Since July of this year, the Dutch government has a new minister for Foreign Trade and Development. Minister Reinette Klever is from the far-right political party PVV (Freedom Party) and she has been very critical towards development aid in recent years. With the Dutch Foreign Ministry being the main sponsor of the We are Able!…

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The 29th Conference of Parties (COP29) on climate change

The 29th Conference of Parties (COP29) on climate change took place in Baku, Azerbaijan. Our colleague Shitaye Astawes of ADF (African Disability Forum) participated in person. This U.N. climate summit delivered a deal on climate finance two days past deadline, after two weeks of tense negotiations. ADF’s Shitaye Astawes (right) at COP29 Climate finance is…

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