Celebrating Role Models in Disability Inclusion

Towards dignified and fulfilling work for young women and men with disabilities

Championing Change

A young woman with albinism, brown hair and glasses sits at a table conversing with a white man with glasses
Elizabeth is the founder of Linking Circles Academy, an ed-tech platform focused on virtual tutoring and disability awareness training for teachers. She is also an advocate, trainer, speaker, and youth leader whose influence now extends beyond Nigeria to regional and global platforms.
A young woman sits behind a knitting machine smiling and holding up a black and white knitted jumper
Ndikumana Laurence, a 22-year-old resident of Ntendezi Village in Save Cell, Ruharambuga Sector in Nyamasheke District of the Western Province of Rwanda, has transformed sewing and knitting skills that once helped her transit from isolation to a source of income and an opportunity to train ten young women.
A man with glasses writes on a flip chart while having a conversation with a woman in braids using sign language
My name is Muhumuza Isaac. My twin name is Kakuru, and my twin brother is Kato. Some people call me Kim. I was born in Lugazi but grew up in Rukungiri District and later, Mukono District in Uganda. I lost my hearing at the age of nine and some of my sight at the age of eleven. I still remember the confusion I felt. Much of my childhood was spent
Two young women sit at a desk in an open floor plan office talking and laughing together
I am Benrose Motethya, a Kenyan born, raised, and schooled in Nairobi, so I am a true city girl. Growing up in the vibrant hustle of Nairobi shaped me a lot. I studied project management because I wanted to learn how to plan and deliver real impact. Right now, I am a program facilitator at Sndbx. I joined through the (Mastercard Foundation) Associates Program, and it has been a journey
A young Ethiopian man sits on a stool in his shop smiling and shining another man's shoes
My name is Efrem Balcha. I’m 24 years old and I live in Bodity Town, Ethiopia. I’m a husband and a proud father of three beautiful children. My life has been shaped by both hardship and resilience, and today I want to share my journey—a journey of transformation, learning, and hope.
Maryanne, a UX Designer, she has a broad smile
I am Emomeri Maryanne and I possess diverse skills. First, I am an assistive device innovator, a UX designer, a cybersecurity professional, a social innovator who teaches children on the intersection between disability and innovation and a self-published author. Currently, I am the communications assistant at United Disabled Persons of Kenya. “My first interaction with computers was in secondary school….(it) opened my eyes to the endless possibilities tech presented”