2030 and Counting

2030 and Counting is our global initiative to connect a diverse range of youth with disabilities to the development of their country.

The policies are there, they exist. However, they are not implemented to the fullest so that challenges in every aspect of the disabled learners are met. - Kennedy, citizen reporter in Zambia

We know that youth with disabilities have the potential to be strong agents of change as they have the energy and idealism about the world they see around them.

This is especially true with the increased use of social media and other Internet-driven tools for civic participation. Technology can break down barriers to participation for youth with disabilities.

It offers great potential to affect governance in developing nations. It can influence how citizens voice their concerns and claim their rights, and how leaders govern.

2030 and Counting is our global initiative to connect a diverse range of youth with disabilities to the development of their country through the Sustainable Development Goals and better connect youth to the disability movement, specifically Disabled Peoples’ Organisations.

The initiative brings together youth with disabilities and DPOs, starting in Kenya, the Philippines and Zambia to lead on citizen generated data collection.

This will build the evidence base for Disabled Peoples’ Organisations and youth with disabilities to effectively advocate for their rights.

The programme trains youth with disabilities on leadership and citizen reporting so that they are able to monitor the Sustainable Development Goals in their country by collecting stories and recording their experiences on their mobile phones. The stories are uploaded onto an online reporting hub for storage and analysis.

DPOs and youth with disabilities will share their stories and data trends with policy and decision makers. This will be done through social media and global and national advocacy events in order to ensure disability inclusive policies are implemented.

To date our reporters have spoken at the United Nations; ran national advocacy events in all three countries; and presented draft bills that support disability rights at the Philippines Youth Parliament.

2030 and Counting in funded by Open Society Initiative for Southern Africa (OSISA). OSISA is a growing African institution committed to deepening democracy, protecting human rights and enhancing good governance in the region.

Open Society Imitative for Southern Africa

The countdown is on

Our reporters from Kenya, Philippines and Zambia have analysed the stories they’ve collected and identified the key challenges and opportunities around implementing the Sustainable Development Goals.

Youth with disabilities share the findings with us in their own words.

Download our report

Making it count

Our evaluation report documents the impact, learning and recommendations from our pilot year.

Download our report

The missing voices

Rebecca’s Story

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Rebecca Nyirenda lives in Zambia where she loves going to school. However, a lack of appropriate transport means she can only go three times a week.

Her father knows how intelligent she is and wants her to be able to go to school every day; he thinks it’s unfair that people with disabilities do not have the same opportunities as everyone else.

Czarinah’s Story

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Czarinah Mercado lives in the Philippines. She dreams of a stable job and to one day have her own business and her own family, but potential employers see her disability as a disadvantage.

She has spent time honing her knowledge and skills in the hope that they’ll look past her disability and see her capabilities instead.

Kristelle’s Story

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Getting into employment in the Philippines was not an easy feat for Kristelle Gonzales.

Previously she’d been judged for her physical appearance over her ability to succeed, as well as being bullied by her own colleagues. However, Kristelle has used those challenges as motivation to keep trying new things and overcome the bullies.

Maggie’s Story

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Margaret Kangai has been raising her little girl in Kenya and feels proud of the job she’s done so far.

However, during her pregnancy she had to overcome stigma from people in the community, as well as her own doctors, who thought someone with her disability couldn’t have sexual relations, let alone raise a child.

Regina and George’s Story

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Regina Mwangi goes to one of the best universities in East and Central Africa, yet poor wheelchair access and a lack of appropriate facilities pose a threat to her education.

Mandela George Gaya had to overcome the attitudes of some of his own family members in order to get an education. They thought someone like him would not achieve anything in life and that an education would be a waste of time and resources.

Mandela’s Story

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Touch is an important aspect of day-to-day life for Mandela George Gaya, a student with a visual impairment living in Kenya. But once the coronavirus pandemic hit, social distancing measures and stigma around disability left him feeling like a stranger in his own city.