Strengthening Inclusive Education, Economic Empowerment and Awareness for lasting change.

I am Twalib Ayub Ali, The Executive Director a Person with hearing impaired who uses sign language for communication, a leader of persons with disabilities, lobbyist and a grandaunt of bachelor's in social work from Makerere University with support from the government under the Disability Scheme.

My own experience of exclusion inspired me to establish Action for Transformation of Youths with Disabilities (ACT‑YOD) a grass root Community Based Organization dedicated to promoting, protecting and advocating for the rights, inclusion and empowerment of Youths with disabilities in West Nile and Uganda.

ACT‑YOD was born out of lived experience and resilience with a vision of a society where the rights and potential of youths with disabilities are fully recognized and celebrated and a mission to champion the rights and inclusion of youths with disabilities in all aspects of life. We focus particularly on Youths, children, women and girls with disabilities, who are routinely excluded from health services, justice systems, civic space and community decision‑making in Arua City a humanitarian hub hosting refugees from South Sudan and Democratic Republic of Congo, these challenges are compounded making our work both urgent and transformative.


WHY INCLUSIVE EDUCATION?
ACT-YOD has comprehensively developed a pilot Education Program called Community-Driven Inclusive Education Programme (CODEP) and The Fund for Global Human Rights has funded part of the program as we continue to mobilize more funds to complete our projected goal.

The regional education context reveals the depth of exclusion where learners with disabilities make up less than 1% of primary enrolment, despite being 5–7% of the school‑age population a case at hand in Arua City Unit schools ( Ediofe Girls Primary School = 0.07%, Arua Primary School = 0.08%) in first and second term enrollment of children with disabilities 2026 academic year.
78% of caregivers still believe disability is caused by witchcraft or parental sin (UNICEF, 2022) and girls with disabilities are twice as likely to drop out due to inaccessible latrines, lack of menstrual hygiene support and heightened risks of harassment.

ACT‑YOD is working to change this by empowering children and youth to claim their right to inclusive education, promoting economic empowerment of parents and caregivers and strengthening accountability of schools and public institutions to implement disability‑inclusive policies.

EXPECTED RESULTS.
• Accessible schools with trained teachers,
• Families empowered to advocate and ensure communities shift from charity to rights‑based inclusion.
• Stronger accountability from authorities and children with disabilities learning alongside peers free from stigma and discrimination.
• Increased school enrollment of children with Disabilities.