Sightsavers, a multinational disability rights advocacy organisation, in partnership with ABAK Foundation and Challenges Ghana, have provided skills training to 93 graduate job seekers and entrepreneurs with disabilities, aiming to empower them economically and reduce poverty among persons with disabilities in the country.
From May 1 to May 3, 2024, 30 graduates with disabilities received training in Information Communication Technology (ICT), Curriculum Vitae, Resume and application writing, and interview preparation, among others. Meanwhile, from April 29 to May 3, 63 individuals without formal education were trained on how to set up and run their own businesses.
The next phase of the training includes linking the graduates with mentors who will coach and guide them in identifying and applying for jobs, while the entrepreneurs will receive guidance on business registration processes and securing funding, among others.
The beneficiaries were elated about the knowledge acquired and urged the organisers to extend the programme to all regions of the country to empower all persons with disabilities economically.
Since its inception a year ago, the project dubbed ‘Economic Empowerment for Persons with Disabilities’, has provided training for 240 graduates with disabilities, with 23 securing jobs in the formal sector, and enhancing the businesses of 132 entrepreneurs with disabilities.
The Executive Director of ABAK Foundation, Mr. Philip Duah, has called on employers and the general public to desist from stigmatising and discriminating against persons with disabilities, which are major barriers to their economic progress. According to him, a friendly and supportive environment is all that persons with disabilities require to live comfortable and fulfilling lives.
Mr. Duah urged unemployed persons with disabilities to contact Sightsavers or any of the project’s implementing organisations, such as ABAK Foundation, Challenges Ghana, Inclusion Ghana or Ghana Federation of Disability Organisations to be enrolled in the programme.
The Programme Manager of Sightsavers Ghana, Madam Beatrice Akua Mahmood, appealed to the government to develop an employment equity policy to address the high rate of unemployment among persons with disabilities in the country. She believes that the absence of such a policy has contributed to an alarming rate of poverty among persons with disabilities, requiring a conscious effort from the government to address it.
The Ghana Country representative of Sightsavers, Mr. David Agyemang, assured employers of his organisation’s willingness to train them on how to work with persons with disabilities. He noted that some employers may be willing to employ persons with disabilities but lack knowledge on how to do so and therefore invited employers to join a network of companies that employ persons with disabilities to help them overcome such inhibitions.
On March 28, Sightsavers launched the Ghana Business and Disability Network, aimed at bringing together corporate entities to encourage them to employ persons with disabilities. The network will offer member companies a platform to share experiences and learn from one another about working with persons with disabilities and access a pool of talented individuals with disabilities who have undergone training on job search and employment. Sightsavers and Diisability organisations will provide technical support, including conducting accessibility audits to ensure that buildings and operations are disability-friendly and training management and staff. The Business and Disability Network will also engage in advocacy for a conducive working environment in the country for persons with disabilities and attract more private sector businesses to the network.
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