Economic Empowerment for People with Disabilities
The Economic Empowerment Project for Social Protection and Support Systems for People with Disabilities, funded by Light for the World (LFW) and implemented in Damot Gale Woreda, Wolayta Zone, aims to address the economic and attitudinal barriers that limit the full participation of people with disabilities in social, political, and economic life. During the reporting year, the project focused on empowering 213 persons with disabilities by expanding access to market-relevant skills, business development training, inclusive employment opportunities, financial services, and information.
Key accomplishments include the mobilization, registration, and interview of 66 program participants (42 women, 24 men); the selection of six TOT trainers and conduct of national training on Core Life Skills, Disability Inclusion, and Entrepreneurship for 10 trainers with curricula contextualized to local language and culture; the orientation of 40 personal assistants (22 women, 18 men); and an onboarding session for 185 stakeholders to align on objectives, roles, and strategies.
A 14-day Core Life Skills training was delivered for 66 participants and 40 personal assistants at St. Mary Training Centre in Wolaita Soddo from June to September 2025. Following training, participants chose their livelihood pathways: 4 toward wage work, 9 toward technical skills, and 53 toward entrepreneurship. The initiative strengthened the capacities and linkages of TVET institutions, microfinance institutions, and small and medium enterprises, contributing to improved social protection systems, economic inclusion, and sustainable livelihoods for people with disabilities in the target communities.
Key Activities & Deliverables
Targeted Mobilization & Stakeholder Alignment
- Participant Selection: Mobilized, registered, and interviewed 66 program participants (42 women, 24 men) to drive targeted economic inclusion.
- Multi-Stakeholder Engagement: Hosted a comprehensive onboarding session for 185 diverse local stakeholders to align on project objectives, implementation roles, and operational strategies.
Capacity Building & Inclusive Training
- Core Life Skills: Delivered an intensive 14-day Core Life Skills training for 66 participants and 40 personal assistants (22 women, 18 men) at the St. Mary Training Centre.
- National Training of Trainers (TOT): Selected six trainers and conducted a national TOT workshop on Core Life Skills, Disability Inclusion, and Entrepreneurship for 10 trainers, contextualizing the curriculum to the local language and culture.
- Assistant Orientation: Conducted a specialized orientation for 40 personal assistants to ensure responsive and dignified disability support.
Economic Inclusion & Livelihood Pathways
- Pathway Mapping: Enabled 66 participants to select sustainable economic paths: 53 chose entrepreneurship, 9 pursued technical skills training, and 4 transitioned toward formal wage work.
- Institutional Linkages: Strengthened the capacities and intersectional linkages of local Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) centers, microfinance institutions, and small-to-medium enterprises.
