Employable Africa: Disability Employment in Africa.
A pipeline from education to employment
Background.
In Africa and elsewhere in the world, disability is associated with prejudice and negative attitude. People with disabilities are viewed as worthy of pity, dependent and as such not an integral part of the community they live. This view is contrary to basic human rights. In Africa, unfavourable economic situations have affected the availability of such services as health, education, and employment opportunities. The most affected however are people with disabilities.( Tanzania National Policy on Disability, 2004).
Their human rights are frequently and systematically ignored and abused. This has been the norm for a very long time. Historically, people with disabilities were not accepted in their communities. They were associated with the incarnation of the devil and their disability was also regarded as a sign of God's punishment for the sins that a family had committed. It was therefore regarded as shameful to have a disabled child within a family. As a result most of them were hidden in houses and others were even thrown into the bushes or rocks and left in the open to die. In developed countries women even terminated their pregnancies once they had been for ultrasound scan and discovered that they were expecting a disabled child.
Various efforts have been made to change the perception of disabled people in the society. These include the enactment of various forms of legislation, conventions, and various strategies aimed at improving society‟s perception of them. Despite some improvement, this negative perception is still a problem in many, especially, developing countries, including Tanzania. People with disabilities are not getting their rights such as access to education and employment due to lack of an accessible environment.
According to the World Report of Disability (WHO,2011), The main barrier to enter an open labour market among the people with disabilities is ACCESSIBILITY. Categorised as access to knowledge, access to accommodation and adjustments such as communication at job interviews for the deaf.
“ Right to have an access to decent job is fundamental human right, depriving people with disability their right to have a meaningful job for the things they didn't and still dont have not control over, is not acceptable”
Gwaliwa, Founder of Employable Africa
A path to revolution, fight for Inclusion:
Employment:
I believe work is crucial for an individual’s development and dignity. However, majority of people with disabilities in Africa live in extremely poverty amid discrimination because they cannot access work due to their disability and competition in the labour market. Reason being inaccessible information, education and working environment. This conviction led me to start Employable Africa.
Our solution
Employable Africa creates a pipeline from school to employment for people with disability in Africa through a digital solution that
addresses accessibility barriers. We are empowering professionals, parents and students with disability to use digital technology to increase academic and employment outcomes in Africa. Our approach is based on 3E - Educate, Empower and Enable.
Educate:
We offer relevant employability skills which are designed to empower youths to learn about their strengths, interests, skills and special needs to develop realistic goals for employment. It also teaches how to use the internet to participate in their own economic development such as job matching and access to funds. Our curriculum is called Envision Africa.
Empower:
We work with employers to coordinate internship and employment for students with disability both on paid and unpaid bases. Our platform allows employers to reach us when they are looking for able talents, as well as allows talents to register with us. Consequently, matching the need and demand side. Our platform matches the students based on their strength, interest and qualification.
Enable:
We are enabling a conducive work environment for people with disability through eliminate
communication barriers people with disability face by using digital technologies, we offer a real-time transcription services and voice recognition technology. The aim is to solve accessibility challenges people with hearing and speech impaired face on professional settings such as during interviews, work environment, conferences and classroom.
Employable Africa believes that by creating more employment for people with disability who are currently excluded due to lack of accessible environment and skills.
We advance corporates, nationals and their family. Most important protecting their children developing disabilities due to family poverty.
We believe If people with disability are integrated into the workforce, the government will increase tax and minimises expenditures (disability benefits as cash and in-kind), paid through various public programmes Thus, advances their country economy.
Inclusion and Economical independence among people with disabilities will change negative community perception towards disability, restore dignity and respect
Call for Action:
Contact Us:
If you are an employer looking for disabled talent as employees
if you are looking for education materials or courses that support disability employability skills
If you are looking for inclusive seminar, workshop transcription services
If you want to give back by supporting disability employment, donate or volunteer to work with us
Referrals, collaboration and partnership
visit our website www.employableafrica.org
Contact Us: info@employableafrica.org
Phone:+255 713 505789