Truphosah Fridah Monah spent her Fellowship at the Association of People Supporting Employment First (APSE) in Rockville, Maryland.

Truphosah Fridah Monah hails from Kakamega County in Western Kenya and lives in Nairobi. She holds a B.A. in Sustainable Human Development from The Catholic University of Eastern Africa and an M.A. in Counseling Psychology from The United States International University- Africa. She is a blogger and an online freelance writer. She is the founder and works with a society of and for women with disabilities, Women and Realities of Disability Society (WARD Society).

During and after her studies, Fridah has worked with several organizations that are geared towards increasing access to services and information for people with disabilities and other vulnerable groups in Kenya. After receiving her undergraduate degree, she founded WARD and after completing her postgraduate degree she incorporated psychological services in her work with women with disabilities.

While working among women with disabilities, she learned that the challenges they face have effects on their psychological and mental well-being. This is what motivated her to pursue a Masters of Arts in Counseling Psychology. With her knowledge and skills, she gives psychological support to women and girls with disabilities. In observing the need for better opportunities for the people she volunteers with, Fridah advocates for equal rights for women with disabilities in all aspects of life. WARD Society addresses challenges faced by women with disabilities in education, employment, sexual and reproductive health, decision making, and political representation. This society has brought together women from across the country. Before becoming a Professional Fellow, Fridah took part in the Facebook Community Leadership Program in California.

During her study period, Fridah carried out two major academic research studies among persons with disabilities namely, Reproductive Health as a Social Challenge to Women with Disabilities, this study brought WARD to existence. Secondly, she carried out a study on The Psychological Consequences of the Social Exclusions Facing Persons with Disabilities in Kenya.

Fridah’s project sought to ensure that qualified women with disabilities in Kenya are able to secure internships, contracts, and practical skills for economic development. In order to achieve this, she sought out to complete a field search of the public and private sectors, partner with government policymakers, and work towards reversing the trend of unemployment among disabled women being higher than unemployment among disabled men.

Fridah spent her Fellowship at the Association of People Supporting Employment First (APSE) in Rockville, Maryland.

Fridah at a meeting of the College Opportunities for Readiness in Education (CORE Group) in Maryland.