Ep.15: FROM KENYA Small business owner Henry Thuo’s COVID-19 story

Financial inclusion has been identified as an enabler for seven of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals and the World Bank Group considers it a key enabler to reducing poverty and boosting prosperity. Despite progress in recent years, people with disabilities still face multiple barriers in accessing financial services and products. In this 23-minute conversation, Paul Horsters from GIZ’s Global Project on the Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities speaks with Mary Asare and Ana de la Vega Núñez from GIZ and Sheru Muuo from Sightsavers about research they carried out in Ghana, Mexico and Kenya. They discuss why women with disabilities are often more financially excluded and how this can be improved. Sheru also explains how, with funding from GIZ, Sightsavers is piloting a new loan product with a reduced interest rate and a longer repayment period, to support women retailers with disabilities in western Kenya to grow their businesses in the Global Labor Program – Inclusive Futures. Download transcription [pdf.]See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Many small businesses in Kenya have been adversely impacted or even been forced to shut down due to the effects of COVID-19, including businesses run and owned by people with disabilities. In this 11-minutes audio report, Inclusive Futures citizen reporter Alan Herbert speaks with Henry Thuo, an entrepreneur with a disability and the founder of Hemuth fabrications. Listen to this audio report to hear about how COVID-19 almost wiped out Henry’s business and how the assistance he received from Light for the World’s InBusiness initiative gave his business a lifeline during the pandemic. Download transcription [pdf.]See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Farmers with disabilities are growing the vital ingredient for beer as part of an innovative project in western Kenya. In this 11 minute episode, our global reporter Kimberly Middleton explores how one farmer has spent days chasing birds, and challenging negative stereotypes of disability, to supply sorghum to East African Breweries Limited. Kimberly also talks to the brewery about their pledge to be inclusive of people with disabilities, and to national representative body United Disabled Persons of Kenya about why projects like this one are essential. Download transcription [pdf.]See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, three disability experts who have been seconded to the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) to promote inclusion share their views and experiences. Shikuku Obosi, Susie Rodgers and Tom Palmer discuss what more needs to be done to ensure people with disabilities are not left behind, as well as the impact of both COVID-19 and the merger of Department for International Development (DFID) and Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) on disability inclusion. In this 26-minute conversation, medal-winning Paralympian Susie shares her concerns that working from home will further segregate people with disabilities from society, Shikuku outlines why disability discrimination is the “mother of all human rights violations”, and Tom explains that humanitarian organisations must respect people with disabilities in crisis responses, both as recipients and leaders. Download transcription [pdf.]See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Alan Herbert, our citizen reporter based in Kenya, speaks with Eric Ngondi from United Disabled Persons of Kenya about realising the dream of disability inclusion in the workplace. Alan and Eric discuss Eric’s experiences as a person with a disability, particularly in the areas of jobhunting and employment. They also talk about Eric’s involvement in the Inclusive Futures initiative, which includes training private companies to become more disability confident, and look at the progress that’s been made towards disability inclusion in Kenya. Listen to this 20-minute audio report to hear Eric speaking candidly about the violent circumstances in which he lost his sight, and how he set out on a ‘second season’ of his life. Eric also reveals some of the concerns held by the employers he works with, as they look to include people with disabilities in their workspaces, and why the participation of people with disabilities and the organisations representing them is crucial to success. Download transcription [.pdf] For the disability-confident employers’ toolkit mentioned by Eric in this programme, visit: www.inclusivefutures.org/toolkit To find out more about Alan, our citizen reporter for Kenya, visit: www.inclusivefutures.org/alanSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this candid interview International Disability Alliance executive director Vladimir Cuk and Sightsavers deputy chief executive Dom Haslam discuss the progress of disability inclusion over recent years. They touch on moving from “nice words and pictures” to implementing programmes in line with human rights, and the challenges they’ve experienced when development organisations truly work in partnership with people with disabilities.  They also discuss the “harsh wake-up call” when the COVID-19 pandemic struck and revealed that “disability discrimination is so much alive, and well, and kicking.” In this 26-minute report, the pair also share their vision for an inclusive world and their personal highlights to date that prove that change is happening. Download transcription [.pdf]See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this 11-minute audio report, Rasak Adekoya, from the Inclusive Futures Nigeria team, speaks to Grace, a newly recruited employee of the British Council in Abuja, who received training and support through the Inclusive Futures formal employment programme. Grace, who holds an MSC in pharmaceutical microbiology, shares what life was life growing up as a person with albinism in Nigeria, and describes the difficult and pervasive superstitious beliefs that continue to affect people with albinism in Nigeria and other African countries. Listen to this audio report to hear Grace explain how the Inclusive Futures training helped her to break through the barriers she faced in her job search, and secure a new role within three weeks. Download transcription [.pdf]See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this nine-minute audio report, global reporter Kimberly speaks to Naome, a wheelchair user and jobseeker who is receiving training and support through the Inclusive Futures formal employment programme. Naome shares how she’s had to make the heartbreaking decision to turn down job offers, because roles are based in inaccessible buildings which would be ”like living in prison”. She also outlines the impact of COVID-19 on her life. Listen to this audio report to hear Naome explain how COVID-19 might have a positive impact on jobseekers with disabilities, and how the mindsets of people without disabilities need to change to achieve inclusion. Download transcription [.pdf]See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this 10-minute audio report, Inclusive Futures global reporter Kimberly Middleton speaks with Simon Brown. He is the global technical lead for economic empowerment at Inclusive Futures partner Sightsavers and uses his expertise to shape the Inclusive Futures formal employment work. With a focus on getting more young people with disabilities into jobs, Simon explains how the programme is working to create lasting change by improving the disability confidence of employers as well as building the skills of jobseekers. Listen to this audio report to hear Simon explain the barriers for jobseekers with disabilities and employers, the financial and moral case for workplaces to be disability inclusive, as well as the impact of COVID-19 on jobseekers’ hunt for work. Download transcription [.pdf]See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this six-minute report, Sarah from the global reporting team speaks to Inclusive Futures global reporter Kimberly Middleton. Kimberly’s work will explore the complexities of disability inclusive development, as well as the challenges and the successes of the Inclusive Futures work. She will be joined by citizen reporters, people with disabilities who will explore the barriers to disability inclusion and speak to people about their experiences and uncover perceptions of disability. Listen to this audio report to hear Kimberly explain why conversations about Inclusive Futures will be useful for everyone in development and disability inclusion. Download transcription [.pdf]See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.