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

30 years of International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD)

By: Bob van DillenConsortium Coordinator We are Able! Towards Food Security And Social Justice! On Saturday 3 December, we observe the IDPD for the 30th time. This special day was called for by the UN in 1992, because disability inclusion is an essential condition to upholding human rights, peace and sustainable development. It is also central to…

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Changing the community, step by step

An inclusive action plan for food security in Burundi In many communities in Burundi, persons with a disability are often called ‘ikimuga’. This word refers not to a person, but to a ‘thing’. Something that is broken. This is not the case in Athanasie’s family. Her two youngest children with a disability go to school…

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Promoting disability inclusion at local level

Taking away prejudices and creating awareness about the daily challenges of persons with a disability is the first, crucial step for achieving more inclusive local policies. This is what we advocated for at the United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG) World Congress in Daejeon, South Korea, last month. Here, we shared our experiences from the…

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