ADA-PFP Alum Maria Omare Wins UN Disability Innovation Challenge


AUCD Professional Fellows alumna Maria Omare from Nairobi, Kenya, has won a grant from the the UNDP Disability Innovation Challenge for her leadership of the Somesha Stories Project, a platform that delivers accessible media and stories for children that promote inclusive education and early literacy in both English and Swahili. The Somesha Stories Project enables children, … Continue reading ADA-PFP Alum Maria Omare Wins UN Disability Innovation Challenge

PFP-IDE Fellow Joel Kawanguzi in Illinois


My name is Joel Kawanguzi, and I was a visiting PFP-IDE Fellow from Uganda. I was hosted at the University of Illinois Chicago Institute on Disability and Human Development (UIC IDHD), where I was under the mentorship of Dr. Robert Gould and Dr. Tamar Heller. Thanks to my hosts Dr. Gould, Dr. Heller and Kaitlin Stober (and Dr. Heller’s family) for helping … Continue reading PFP-IDE Fellow Joel Kawanguzi in Illinois

PFP-IDE Fellow Elizabeth Mang’eni in Vermont: Life’s Not So Bad on the Other Side


I have always had a fear of the unknown, especially when I thought about why I should stay in my hometown and not even leave my country.  I know it’s because of the reliable relationship in the community that allowed me independence. I knew everyone at the shopping center where I got most of my … Continue reading PFP-IDE Fellow Elizabeth Mang’eni in Vermont: Life’s Not So Bad on the Other Side

PFP-IDE Fellow Bijal Lal in Ohio: Learning Transition Tools and Creating New Opportunities


My life as a Fellow at the Nisonger Center at The Ohio State University has been an incredible eye-opener. It is inspiring to see how diversity is embraced at every level. From early childhood, measures are set to provide the best accommodations and services to ensure every individual’s success. I have learned about many initiatives that … Continue reading PFP-IDE Fellow Bijal Lal in Ohio: Learning Transition Tools and Creating New Opportunities

World Refugee Day: A Journey to Inclusive Employment


To commemorate World Refugee Day, PFP-IDE alumnus Stephen Areba shares how applying his Fellowship skills from the Kansas University Center on Developmental Disabilities (KUCDD) helps individuals with disabilities in Dadaab Refugee Camp find a path to inclusive employment. Located in eastern Kenya, Dadaab is the world’s third largest refugee camp and houses more than 200,000 … Continue reading World Refugee Day: A Journey to Inclusive Employment

International Albinism Awareness Day: Still Standing Strong


To celebrate International Albinism Awareness Day on June 13, three PFP-IDE alumni with albinism – Peter Ogik from Uganda, and Gamariel Mboya and Isack Idama from Tanzania, reflect on their personal experiences, how they promote albinism self-advocacy, and why inclusive education and employment are especially important to persons with albinism in Africa. Peter Ogik: Changing … Continue reading International Albinism Awareness Day: Still Standing Strong