Akinima, Rivers State – June 2025 – In a bold step toward promoting inclusivity and equity in rural Nigeria, the FAECARE Foundation has successfully held an intensive, one-day advocacy training for Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) in Akinima, the headquarters of Ahoada West Local Government Area, Rivers State. The training, which took place at the Akinima Town Hall, was part of the organization’s flagship Disability Rights Initiative Project: Rural Rivers (DRIP:RR), a transformative campaign aimed at breaking down systemic barriers and empowering individuals living with disabilities in underserved communities.
The event brought together a diverse group of 22 participants, including 14 Persons with Disabilities, peer mentors, the foundation’s technical adviser, and dedicated project team members. With support from the Disability Rights Fund, the training marks a crucial milestone in FAECARE’s ongoing mission to amplify the voices of PWDs and ensure their rights are recognized and upheld at all levels of society.
Changing Narratives, One Voice at a Time
Kicking off the training, Emmanuel Ogbemudia, Program Officer at FAECARE Foundation, set the tone with a powerful message about the organization’s broader mission: to uplift and transform the lives of vulnerable groups through targeted humanitarian efforts. “At FAECARE, we believe every life matters. Through projects like DRIP:RR, we’re challenging age-old narratives and ensuring that persons with disabilities are not just seen, but heard and valued,” Ogbemudia stated.
His sentiments were echoed by Faith Amadi, also a Program Officer, who called for an urgent cultural shift in rural communities, where disability is too often misunderstood. “We must dismantle the harmful beliefs that define disability as a curse,” she said. “This perception fuels discrimination and isolates people who deserve dignity and respect. Advocacy starts with unlearning these myths.”
A Legal and Rights-Based Approach
A key highlight of the training was an interactive session led by Dr. Obraori Peters, the project’s Technical Adviser and a seasoned legal expert in disability law. Dr. Peters delivered an engaging lecture on the fundamental concepts of disability, the various types of disabilities, and the essential rights protected under Nigeria’s Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act of 2018.
Participants were guided through their rights to education, healthcare, employment, accessible transportation, and participation in civic life. For many attendees, this was their first in-depth exposure to the legal protections afforded to them under national law—information that could prove life-changing in their advocacy efforts moving forward.
“This Act is not just paper,” Dr. Peters declared. “It is your shield, your voice, and your tool for change. Knowing your rights is the first step to claiming them.”
From Words to Action: Preparing for Grassroots Advocacy
Beyond legal literacy, the training focused heavily on practical advocacy tools. Through dynamic group activities, participants identified and challenged commonly used derogatory terms in their communities and explored respectful, person-centered alternatives. The exercise sparked passionate discussions and reinforced the importance of language in shaping societal attitudes.
Participants also shared personal experiences of discrimination, revealing a deep well of exclusion that persists in many rural communities. From being denied access to schools and jobs to facing ridicule in public spaces, their stories underscored the urgency of grassroots mobilization.
In a strategic planning session, participants compiled a list of influential traditional rulers, community stakeholders, and local opinion leaders they intend to engage in the next phase of the project. It was unanimously agreed that a market awareness campaign followed by targeted advocacy visits to the traditional ruler—His Royal Majesty, the King of Ahoada West—would form the next wave of action, slated to take place before the end of June.
“Leave No One Behind” – The Road Ahead
With the training concluded, FAECARE Foundation reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to championing disability rights in some of Nigeria’s most overlooked regions. Backed by the Disability Rights Fund, the foundation is working tirelessly to ensure that the DRIP:RR initiative leaves a lasting legacy—one that dismantles stigma, promotes inclusion, and empowers individuals with disabilities to lead their own change.
“Our vision is clear,” said Emmanuel Ogbemudia. “We are building a society where disability does not mean disadvantage. Rural voices matter, and we are here to ensure they are never silenced again.”
As the sun set over Akinima, participants left the town hall not just with new knowledge, but with renewed hope and a plan of action. In a region where silence once prevailed, voices are rising—and with them, a movement that promises to transform the narrative for Persons with Disabilities in Rural Rivers.
#DisabilityRights #FAECAREFoundation #DRIPRR #InclusiveNigeria #RuralAdvocacy #LeaveNoOneBehind
