Special Needs Initiative For Growth

I am applying because I want to address the Educational and Social Inequity of vulnerable persons in low-middle income countries across Africa through a Model for An Inclusive Quality Education and Social Ecosystem.I am passionate about addressing this because I want to be a global voice that addresses social,health and educational issues and promotes inclusion through education,entrepreneurship development and mentorship for children and adults,inclusive of young persons with disabilities in low-middle income countries,to enable them to access affordable and quality education while leveraging on digital technology.We intend to scale our solutions from an onsite model of educational and health capacity building for learners with disabilities and their communities to an online virtual community where learners with disabilities,primary and secondary schools,educators,and parents across countries in Nigeria,Zimbabwe,Kenya,Uganda and South Africa can acquire.I will use the prize to proffer inclusive educational platforms for learners with disabilities to improve their learning through our educational programs leveraging a mix of STEM and Robotics education,Learning Therapy,and other Virtual Learning which will,in turn,foster their independence,preparing them for employment.I will develop a multi-sectoral taskforce across Ministries of education,health and social welfare to ensure that vulnerable children have access to appropriate assistive technology to be educated and access jobs.

In 2017,I visited a home for people with disabilities (PWDs) when I saw something that changed my life.I saw a caregiver physically abuse a 24 year old girl with cerebral palsy.I began to dream of what was possible and created a team of youth led professional experts and we came up with  disability inclusive solutions to educate caregivers,families,educators,DPOs,CSOs,Government and Intergovernmental agencies(and most of all PWDs in underserved communities)on building their capacity for empathy,expanding their EI,and other psychological muscles they could flex to better serve PWDs.Since 2017,my organizational goal has been establishing strategic partnerships to proffer career services,health support services,assistive  technologies,mentorship and entrepreneurial projects,and advocacy for policies that impact PWDs.My vision is to create public inclusive policies,addressing educational and career accessibility issues in  detail for marginalized groups in underserved communities across low-middle income countries.My Purpose focuses on demand-driven IT entrepreneurship and career development to PWDs and non-disabled persons in across low-middle income countries like Nigeria,which enables access employment or self-employment,after which they are mentored,supported to secure an internship or job,or given a small grant to start a business.My goal by 2030 is to enable 800,000 PWDs in low-middle countries access our virtual learning platforms to receive quality education and career opportunities.

I am addressing the Educational and Social Inequity for vulnerable persons in low-middle income countries across Africa through a Model for An Inclusive Quality Education and Social Ecosystem (MIQEE).A current study in developing countries cited the prevalence of developmental disability varied from 0.4% to 12.17% and 20.4% screened for development impairment amongst other physical,sensory,and intellectual disabilities.There has been a 25% increase in children born with disabilities in Nigeria, Kenya and South Africa.Daily out of 10 births,a mother gives birth to a disabled child.21 million children have been excluded from classroom education because they were born with disability.Some of the Factors are that some of the training institutions of persons with disability possess facilities which are sub-standard,with no basic training tools,equipment and materials and human capacity developers with the requisite skills needed to equip PWDs for them to create or attain jobs.Our organization provides students/learners with disabilities in Nigeria and other low-middle income countries with the right learning alternatives.We are solving this need by providing inclusive learning opportunity for learners with disabilities to learn side by side with learners without disabilities so that all learners can improve their quality of life through STEM,Robotics,Therapy,and other career practices which will,in turn,them for employment.

Some of the areas that make my work innovative is access to educational resources in STEM & Robotics,therapy,mentorship,and other career development opportunities tailored to learners individual goals and capacity. The portal will provide a disability-friendly Web and Application Platform for learners with visual impairment,hearing difficulties,and other cognitive disabilities to access and learn remotely at any given time within any part of the world.The minimum viable price of one of our least services online goes for $2 in a month.The MIQEE Strategic Framework is leveraged to offer technology-based solutions,training,and qualifications to students,school leavers,and employed persons.Our strategy is based on contributing to access to education and skills by offering skills,services,and products of the highest quality standards, based on demand, and using a technology-based delivery strategy.A centralized online will be part of the MIQEE platform.Another unique attribute is that our courses will be offered in an online and offline mode using a self-study method with/without instructors, based on demand,to assist students/professionals from wherever they are located.The Ready-made and accredited course materials will be sought and utilised at the MIQEE online platforms.Some of the courses will be linked to those offered at credible universities and technical colleges across countries in Africa,United States and Europe.  

Our Organization is having an impact on Humanity through the all-inclusive programming for learners with disabilities and non-disabled learners to easily acquire educational and health resources to support their individual learning goals, competency, and capacity so that they can meet up with the current job demand and break the stigma encountered around exclusion and unequal opportunities to jobs and other social care. 

The impact of this proposed intervention will serve as a sustainable development goal to promote inclusive and quality education, reduce inequalities and set up a par for accessible education and health resources across countries to serve as a model of support for students or learners with disabilities in unprecedented times as COVID-19. The steps we are taking to achieve our planned impact is involving multi-stakeholders across educational institutions, disability people organizations, CSO’s, Families and Governments in related assistive technology activities, including the development of policies, and the design and evaluation of services and products that are accessible, available, acceptable, adaptable and affordable for addressing education, health and social inequity for vulnerable populations in Africa. This is effective because 69% of them have been provided internship platforms and entrepreneurship grants to scale their career after the training.