Sightsavers Nigeria has empowered 2,878 adolescent girls and young women with disabilities in Kano and Lagos states with business education, entrepreneurship training, and career development support.
The organisation announced this on Tuesday in Abuja at the close-out event of the Strengthening Access to Business Education and Inclusion for Women, SABI-Woman, project under the Girls Education and Skills Partnership.
The project was implemented with Organisations of Persons with Disabilities, Project Enable Africa and Kanawa Educational Foundation for the Disabled, alongside private sector partners and development institutions.
Give them a dream
Prof. Joy Shuaibu, Country Director of Sightsavers Nigeria, said the initiative was designed to inspire girls with disabilities and equip women with sustainable livelihood skills.
“The education component seeks to give adolescent girls with disabilities a dream, so they can become everything they want to become. We selected schools with girls and adolescents with disabilities and brought in life coaches to inspire them and help them realise their full potential,” Shuaibu said.
On entrepreneurship, she said participants were trained in business literacy, bookkeeping, and product costing. Sightsavers also linked them to manufacturers like Unilever willing to supply goods on credit for resale and profit.
“We linked them to producers so they can make profit. One of the things we sought to do is ensure adolescent girls and women with disabilities have a source of livelihood and proper education,” she added.
Shuaibu noted the impact reached families and communities, but stressed that stigma remains one of the biggest barriers for persons with disabilities. Beneficiaries also received technical business management training and were connected to financial institutions for loans and grants.
Breakdown of impact
Mrs Esther Bature, Country Advocacy Coordinator, gave a breakdown: 1,512 young women built employability and entrepreneurship skills, while 1,366 adolescent girls received life skills and career guidance.
A total of 1,647 employees were trained on workplace disability inclusion, 217 life coaches on inclusive career guidance, 202 TVET facilitators on inclusive teaching methods, and 127 business advisors to sustain enterprise growth.
She said 670 women received starter kits worth over N40 million to launch businesses. Beneficiaries have repaid 88% of the starter-kit funds, which Bature described as proof of the viability of disability-inclusive entrepreneurship.
Partners commend model
Dr Avuwa Oteri, representing the Gates Foundation, said the project showed practical pathways for women’s economic empowerment and disability inclusion through partnerships. “It has also shown the value of working across communities, institutions and systems to create lasting change,” Oteri said.
UNICEF Education Specialist Mrs Nneka Ogbansiegbe called for stronger collaboration on disability inclusion, while Mr Richard Grubb, Education Adviser at the UK FCDO, said the project proved inclusive systems help girls and women reach their potential.
Beneficiaries speak
Miss Aisha Morenikeji-Ogunkoya, a visually impaired final-year student of Yaba College of Technology, shared her experience with discrimination and urged persons with disabilities to maximise their potential.
Miss Aisha Usman, who is physically challenged, said the training improved her business management and helped her expand her henna business.
The event featured panel discussions on disability inclusion and awards to outstanding beneficiaries, individuals and institutions.
