In a bid to empower young people with disabilities become self-advocates and improve their participation in inclusive development, Norwegian Association of Disabled has rolled out a peer to peer empowerment project in Zambia on a pilot basis. The project was kick started with a three day training for 10 youths with disabilities in Livingstone ,Zambia.
The training held from 14-16 March 2023 at Livingstone government lodge, ably facilitated by Martine Eliasson from Norway and supported by Blessing Mulumbu from Livingstone, addressed among other topics; peer to peer strategy, models of disability, the UNCRPD and the Zambia disability Act. The participants talked to, expressed satisfaction with the delivery of the training owing to methodology used which included interactive and participatory activities.
Key stakeholders from various government line ministries and OPDs welcomed the peer to peer empowerment concept, saying it will capacitate youths with disabilities to fully get involved in self-advocacy in particular and inclusive development in general.
” We the adults have been trained on many aspects of inclusion , but it’s regrettable that we usually are too busy to also educate our children, so this project is important we welcome it” narrated a senior OPD leader in Livingstone.
The trained youth facilitators will now become a resource to other youths with disabilities in their various communities. They will be supported to deliver weekly sessions on disability rights and related issues .
