Here's how the 4th Annual Inclusive Africa Conference went + my opinion piece on Nation newspaper
So, I got published on the Nation newspaper talking about why we should be radical about designing inclusive policies for persons with disabilities. Here's the back story.
The last four months from February 2023 till early June have been quite a roller coaster of activities for me. I have been the busiest I have ever been planning the 4th Annual Inclusive Africa Conference that happened from May 29 - 31, 2023 at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Nairobi. Over 900 participants joined virtually, 649 people joined via watch parties in 15 African countries and over 300 people in Nairobi. It was a massive success, and it proves getting better every year.
As you may already know, I am definitely a workaholic, and I don't leave any stones unturned when I'm working on something, and as the Project Manager for The Inclusive Africa Conference, my biggest job was to make sure we had an amazing conference, and so, I dived! I must admit, I lost myself and had a few health hiccups but all is good now, thankfully, and it was all worth it!
This Conference is important because it serves as the biggest platform in Africa to advocate for digital accessibility for all especially for people with disabilities as well as the importance of assistive technology tools that continue to improve the quality of lives for people with disabilities. So many times are people with disabilities overlooked and often passed over as beggars or even do people hardly see them as individuals with full lives, dreams, and ambitions. It's exactly why many get shocked when someone with a disability is boss or a leader at a reputable organization. It's also why people use this famous lines "You're so inspirational" when someone with a disability sings or dances like magic and others use this line that you should never say "You're too pretty or handsome for someone with a disability" because more often than not, people with disabilities are viewed as less than or second class humans. It's disgusting!
So, as I was busy planning the conference, I was confronted by a number of situations where someone would say something they shouldn't or I'd be asked what led me to work at inABLE and with people with disabilities, my answer has become affirmative over time. I didn't choose this job, this job chose me. It sort for me, and found me at the exact time I was looking for purpose in my life. All my career, I've always loved helping people and working on a job that would have direct impact on people's lives for the better. I am fueled by working for people who most times cannot speak for themselves or people who are trying to be heard, and my role as Public Relations Officer, my number one job is to get the word out and spread awareness, and this annual Inclusive Africa Conference does exactly that by bringing subject-matter experts, innovations experts, and assistive technology engineers and experts as well as disability experts in one room to discuss the best way forward for Africa through inclusive policies and standards.
My experiences in almost the last four years at inABLE l, and coordinating the Inclusive Africa Conference led me to write an opinion piece about why Assistive Technology and Inclusion of persons with disabilities matters, and why we can't keep ignoring how vital their inclusion is to the overall development of the economy and in our day-to-day lives allowing them to lead fully independent lives and enjoying the same basic needs as everyone else while having access to similar opportunities both online, academically, socially, and in the employment sector.
In a nutshell, the 4th Annual Inclusive Africa Conference had 39 panel discussions, 10 presentations, and about 10 keynote speeches all led to one summary - where to start- inclusive policies and standards that will not only guide but will assure a non-negotiable inclusion of persons with disabilities.
I always meet amazing people doing amazing things from different African countries and around the world. This year was no different, from Innovators who are solving real problems with amazing assistive technology solutions to subject-matter experts who've been at it for quite sometime now and are always finding possible realistic solutions in different fields to partners who I'm always talking to via emails. Incredible young Africans with disabilities who are leading the way and finding their spot in the podium on the right way to do things and my oh my so many amazing people who leave me with so many lessons, and a lot of brain picking ideas.
It's always a pleasure watching DJ Wiwa doing her magic on the decks and Cobhams' beautiful voice full of soul that always gets my hands up in the air waving in awe of his concert.
This year, I watched Jayrus Ongeta, a young Spoken Word Artist who came to me at the last minute introduced by one daring 'Big Brother' - Allan Herbert, definitely a voice to remember, and asked to perform, I'm so pleased we were able to give him the platform because he is so good with words that have deeper meaning. BTW, Herbert did an incredible hosting his podcast at the conference.
Maybe a similar sound would make all these easy to process, in the words of Ludacris- "When I move, you move, just like that!" We all move, leaving no one behind!
Below is a screenshot of my opinion piece published on Daily Nation, on June 12, 2023 with the title- Persons with Disabilities (PWD) Inclusion should not be a mere rhetoric. Here the full story - https://nation.africa/kenya/blogs-opinion/blogs/pwd-inclusion-should-not-be-mere-rhetoric-4266598
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Hello, Feel free to share your ideas,I would love to have your feedback, regards.