![\"\"](\"https:\/\/weareable.ngo\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/collage-burundi-1024x1024.jpg\")
Burundi \u2013 Bujumbura, September 16<\/strong> LinkedIn Post: https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/feed\/update\/urn:li:activity:7373759691023175680<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n DR Congo \u2013 Kinshasa, September 18<\/strong> LinkedIn Post: https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/feed\/update\/urn:li:activity:7374507950037516288<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n South Sudan \u2013 Juba, September 25<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n South Sudan celebrated the successful closure of the WaA! programme after five years of advancing disability-inclusive food security and livelihoods. The event brought together policymakers, OPDs, CSOs, religious leaders, and community members to celebrate achievements and chart the way forward. Commitments included sustaining technical working groups, ensuring inclusive budgeting through the National Assembly, and fast-tracking the Disability Bill with financing for disability initiatives. Religious leaders also pledged to continue using worship spaces for awareness and advocacy. WaA! leaves a strong legacy of strengthened voices, inclusive governance, and collective action to ensure no one is left behind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Highlights:<\/p>\n\n\n\n LinkedIn Post: https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/feed\/update\/urn:li:activity:7377067715951259648<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n Uganda \u2013 Kampala, September 26<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Uganda celebrated the closure of the WaA! programme in Kampala, reflecting on five years of advancing disability-inclusive food security and governance. With government, NUDIPU, Food Rights Alliance, National Land Coalition, consortium partners, and community leaders, the event highlighted policy changes from 2021\u201325 and set recommendations for the future. WaA! strengthened OPDs and community structures, creating four district unions, empowering 310 parish-level associations, and supporting 260 iSAVE groups and 5,000 PIP households. Partners also trained OPDs in governance and resource mobilisation. The programme leaves a legacy of stronger participation, inclusive planning, and resilient communities where no one is left behind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Highlights:<\/p>\n\n\n\n LinkedIn Post: https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/feed\/update\/urn:li:activity:7377371374601809921<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n Sudan \u2013 Gedaref, September 29<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Sudan marked the closure of the WaA! programme with an inspiring event bringing together government officials, OPDs, CSOs, partners and community leaders. Despite immense challenges, WaA! strengthened advocacy, capacity building and community dialogue to ensure persons with disabilities are recognised as rights-holders in food security. Testimonies highlighted growing confidence and influence, with local leaders now lobbying for inclusive policies and stronger participation. Officials and partners praised WaA!\u2019s role in shifting mindsets and amplifying voices, proving that inclusion builds resilience. While the programme concludes, its legacy endures: inclusive food security is not charity, but justice for all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Highlights:<\/p>\n\n\n\n LinkedIn Post: https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/feed\/update\/urn:li:activity:7378496739781046272<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n Ethiopia \u2013 Addis Ababa, September 30<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Ethiopia celebrated the closure of the five-year WaA! programme with a high-level event attended by government officials, international partners, OPDs, CSOs, and community leaders. Speakers, including State Minister Huria Ali Mahdi, highlighted WaA!\u2019s achievements in food and livelihood security, access to services, and the promotion of disability rights. Through community mobilisation, capacity building, and innovative livelihood models, the programme empowered persons with disabilities and strengthened inclusive governance. A panel on sustainability stressed the need for policy continuity beyond WaA!. While the programme concludes, partners reaffirmed their commitment to build on its legacy of empowerment and inclusion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Highlights:<\/p>\n\n\n\n LinkedIn Post: https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/feed\/update\/urn:li:activity:7378824582390169602<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Across all six countries, WaA! events shifted narratives from charity to rights-based inclusion<\/strong>. Ministries pledged reforms, parliaments promised bills, and OPDs demonstrated readiness to lead. As one leader summarised in Ethiopia: \u201cWhile today we officially close the project, we do not close the vision nor the responsibility it has set before us.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Between September 16\u201330, 2025, the We are Able! (WaA!) programme marked its closure through six national events in Burundi, DR Congo, South Sudan, Uganda, Sudan and Ethiopia. These forums reflected on five years of achievements, showcasing how advocacy, inclusion and government engagement have reshaped food security and disability rights agendas across Africa. Below is the summary of the six country closure events: Burundi \u2013 Bujumbura, September 16 On September 16, 2025, WaA! held the closing event in Bujumbura, Burundi. Officials from government, ZOA, the Dutch Embassy, and civil society highlighted progress since 2021 in advancing the rights and inclusion of\u2026<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[],"blocksy_meta":{"styles_descriptor":{"styles":{"desktop":"","tablet":"","mobile":""},"google_fonts":[],"version":5}},"acf":[],"featured_image_urls":{"full":"","thumbnail":"","medium":"","medium_large":"","large":"","1536x1536":"","2048x2048":""},"post_excerpt_stackable":" Between September 16\u201330, 2025, the We are Able! (WaA!) programme marked its closure through six national events in Burundi, DR Congo, South Sudan, Uganda, Sudan and Ethiopia. These forums reflected on five years of achievements, showcasing how advocacy, inclusion and government engagement have reshaped food security and disability rights agendas across Africa.Below is the summary of the six country closure events: We are Able! Closure Event in Bujumbura, Burundi Burundi \u2013 Bujumbura, September 16On September 16, 2025, WaA! held the closing event in Bujumbura, Burundi. Officials from government, ZOA, the Dutch Embassy, and civil society highlighted progress since 2021 in…<\/p>\n","category_list":"News<\/a>","author_info":{"name":"Anika Sharma","url":"https:\/\/weareable.ngo\/en\/author\/anika\/"},"comments_num":"0 comments","featured_image_urls_v2":{"full":"","thumbnail":"","medium":"","medium_large":"","large":"","1536x1536":"","2048x2048":""},"post_excerpt_stackable_v2":"
On September 16, 2025, WaA! held the closing event in Bujumbura, Burundi. Officials from government, ZOA, the Dutch Embassy, and civil society highlighted progress since 2021 in advancing the rights and inclusion of persons with disabilities, particularly in food security. The event featured speeches, panel discussions and testimonies showcasing achievements such as empowering 2,410 households, directly supporting 1,273 persons with disabilities, and engaging four municipalities to strengthen inclusive governance. Presentations emphasised Burundi\u2019s legal and policy commitments, the Multisectoral Strategic Plan for Food Security and Nutrition, and progress on land rights and inheritance for persons with disabilities. Testimonies reflected a shift in attitudes, improved access to services, and stronger advocacy structures such as CORPHB. Recommendations included strengthening representation in elections, land registration, reduced bank interest rates, and ongoing awareness to combat stigma. The event closed with cultural celebrations.
Highlights:<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/weareable.ngo\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/DRC-Collage-1024x1024.jpg\")
The Democratic Republic of Congo marked five years of the WaA! programme with a milestone closure event in Kinshasa, celebrating inclusive progress and partnerships. Working mainly in the Kivu region, WaA! collaborated with civil society and organisations of persons with disabilities (OPDs) to advance food security, rights, and advocacy. OPDs in South Kivu submitted a petition calling for stronger autonomy, participation, and income opportunities. Local authorities and the Ministry in Charge of Persons with Disabilities reaffirmed their commitment to sustaining achievements and prioritising inclusion. The programme leaves behind strengthened governance, community advocacy, and improved access to services.
Highlights:<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/weareable.ngo\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/SSD-Collage-1-1024x512.png\")
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/weareable.ngo\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Uganda-Collage-1024x576.png\")
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/weareable.ngo\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Sudan-Collage-1024x576.png\")
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/weareable.ngo\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Ethiopia-Collage-1024x474.png\")