Digital advocacy for youth with disabilities is one of the YDAR winning campaigns that aims to provide awareness to the society on the matter of disabilities at large. Run by Yumna Mmanga Omar, Fakihat Omar Abubakar, Jamila Borafya Hamza and Zakia Daudi, it provides knowledge to young people with disabilities on the positive manner of using social media and other digital platforms in ensuring that the awareness of people with disabilities right’s is well-transmitted. It also also creates opportunities for young people to advertise their talents, business and skills by using digital platforms for inspirational and motivational purposes, as well as educating the society on disabilities matters. The campaign involves training for young people with disabilities, who will be taught how to use of social media for advocacy, and how to participate in various digital platforms.
Background
The 21st century is permeated with many digital technologies that people use for their daily tasks; however, some people are excluded. The exclusion is a result of accessibility, usage issues or lack of relevant skills to use the digital technology to desired effects. Despite of rapid expansion of uses of technology among the member of the society still there is a huge gap for people with disabilities because many of them don’t have the proper access or don’t have enough knowledge in using it either for educational purpose, business, and also in advocating their rights. Also, the society needs more sensitisation about disabilities through digital platforms, because some of the people have been using social media to abuse people with disabilities without realising it. Digital advocacy will be able to reach large number of people because of the high use of social media among the members of any society, particularly young people.
Objectives
Through digital advocacy training young people with disabilities (YPWD) will be able to spread knowledge on the issue of disabilities through various platforms and develop mentorship programs where they can act as trainer-of-trainees amongst each other as they acquire the knowledge. It could also be used as a platform for advertising their business and also enhancing entrepreneurial development and improving their different skills and talents through uses of technology. The project thus aims to:
- Promote YPWDs accessibility and inclusivity in digital platforms in advertising their business, talents and provide awareness on disability matters.
- Inspire YPWDs to use technology, as well as bridge the technological gap between the people with disabilities and other social groups, particularly in a Zanzibar context.
- Develop and create new ways for advocacy of people with disabilities rights through inclusive technology.
Team
Yumna Mmanga Omar is a young girl gifted with albinism and has been using her uniqueness to make positive impact in the isle. She is the unrivalled director of the Watoto International Film Festival (WIFF) Zanzibar that involves film screening, children forum, fair exhibition, arts, performance and school filming, which is steered by dynamic group of energetic and innovative young leaders. Yumna, is a teacher by profession but her passion for community development led her to be the founder and chairperson of the All About Albinism Campaign (AAACA) Zanzibar, a local non-governmental organization that aims in spreading awareness and understanding on albinism in Zanzibar. She is the victorious recipient of several awards like outstanding youth in social work 2019 in the annual Zanzibar youth awards. She was also awarded the titles as Best Muslim Women Disability Change Makers in 2021/2022 and as a Tanzanian Sheroe in 2020/2021. Yumna is currently working as an inclusive education officer at the department of inclusive education and life skills in the Ministry of Education and Vocational Training Zanzibar and has a dream of seeing people with disability taking their rightful places in the society.
Fakihat Omar Abubakar was born in Zanzibar and has physical disabilities since she was a kid. As a child, she was a slow learner yet she never gave up, she kept on working hard, and completed her certificate in IT. She also trained herself to do graphics design, and her interest is in writing, too. She eventually started her Instagram page, and now she is composing poems and quotes to inspire people. By doing that, she got a chance to volunteer in the Organisation of Women with Disabilities in Zanzibar as an IT assistant. There she also attends seminars that teach new skills based on gender equality and challenges of people with disabilities and how to deal with the difficulties in general. She also personally helps people with disabilities, she still wants to develop new skills. She is interested in reading books and writing books.
Jamila Borafya Hamza was born and raised in Zanzibar. As a young blind girl she faced various challenges towards having self-acceptance and confidence. She never gave up on herself and kept on working hard. During her secondary education she used to participate in school clubs and youth councils that motivated her to make significant efforts in the political arena. Eventually she has proceeded with Business Operation Assistance Studies (BOA) in VETA level, yet advocating for the rights and opportunities of people with disabilities that made her to be awarded several certificates. Jamila is talented in writing and reading poems, which enable her to get a little income. Jamila has a dream and expectations to be a political leader for the sake of defending the rights of people with disabilities.
Zakia Daudi, a citizen of Tanzania, is 24 years old. She is an advocate for economic and social development who is driven to stand up for the wellbeing and advancement of her community residents in all sectors. She is a member of the Zanzibar Youth Council and currently one of the council chairpersons serving at the local administrative Division unit (Shehia). She is keen to advance her career in community development, leadership, and social and economic rights activism. She is currently working as a program officer in Social Protection and Disability Rights at the Organization of Women and Girls with disabilities in Zanzibar (JUWAUZA). She is very determined and hardworking in her career. Zakia holds a Bachelor Degree in Management of Social Development from Mwalimu Nyerere Memorial Academy at Karume Campus Zanzibar.
