What is Empower Us?

Empower Us is our global self-advocacy training programme. The programme supports our members with their self-advocacy and inclusion work in their countries. Empower Us is led by self-advocates.

Who took part?

16 self-advocates from Inclusion Uganda and the Uganda Parents of Persons with Intellectual Disabilities (UPPID) and their supporters participated in the 3 day long Empower Us training, travelling to Kampala from 10 different districts in Uganda.

Self-advocate leaders Mark Mapemba, Vice-President of Inclusion International from Malawi, and Hassan Zilakulabe, UPPID Board Member from Uganda, facilitated the workshop.

What happened

Mark and Hassan shared information about the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), human rights, and what it means to be a self-advocate.

I have learned to work together. I have learned that I have rights in my community. I have learned how to work with my supporter. I will use what I have learned that I have rights in my community. I have learned how to work with my supporter. I will use what I have learned by telling other people our rights, and by telling children they can go to school.

Sam, UPPID

Talking about employment

This Empower Us workshop was delivered as part of the Inclusion Works employment programme so it had employment focus, with a full day of activities on understanding employment rights and developing an action plan for doing advocacy on inclusive employment in our communities, with a full day of activities on understanding our employment rights and developing an action plan for doing advocacy on inclusive employment in our communities.

Self-advocates called for greater understanding from employers, the government, and their families about their barriers to employment and the employment supports they need.

What next

After learning about their rights and how to speak on employment and other topics, self-advocates in Uganda are ready to be advocates in their communities. 

Mark and Hassan have come here today to share this information with us – now we are all ambassadors. We are getting information here and we need to spread it to other people. When we spread it to others we will speak as one voice, and then they will stop treating us like this.

Eddy, Self-advocate from Uganda.