Empowerment project gives hope to Arua’s disabled community
The We Are Able! project has become a transformative force for persons with disabilities (PWDs) in Arua city, empowering them to take charge of their lives and realise their full potential.
Faidah's brick that she wants to use for constructing a decent house for the family (Credit: Robert Adiga)
Robert Adiga
Journalist @New Vision
Ezama Ronald, a visually impaired beneficiary of We are able and the wife displays the vision road journey prepared after attaining the empowerment skills as a family. (Credit: Robert Adiga)
ARUA - Betty Edonia, a 44-year-old physically impaired single mother in Kana cell, Ombokoro ward, Ayivu division in Arua city, was once confined to the shadows of her community—her life dictated by the stigma and shame surrounding her disability.
Eight years ago, her condition led to her being abandoned by her husband, who left her with two children at their marital home. The experience deepened her sense of isolation and diminished her self-esteem.
However, everything changed in 2023 when Edonia became a beneficiary of the We Are Able! project.
Thanks to the project’s inclusive approach and supportive interventions, she regained her confidence and sense of purpose.
As a survivor of gender-based violence (GBV), Edonia received a GBV survivor’s grant of sh600,000 from Light for the World. This enabled her to start a small business and gain financial independence.
“Before this project came, I would never associate with people. Whenever a visitor reached home, I would run away and hide in the house. I never stayed near people and I was always falling sick. But the moment this project came and I received the money with financial literacy, I now feel well and associate freely with community members because they know I can now contribute and support social activities,” said Edonia.
Today, she is a beacon of resilience and determination. Through We Are Able!, Edonia has not only rebuilt her life but also found a sense of belonging and purpose.
“I was abandoned by my husband due to my disability with two children—one of the girls is now in Senior Three while the other is in Primary Five. Now, with the business, I am supporting them well since I can get at least sh20,000 per day,” she added.
Edonia has joined a savings group through iSAVE and has managed to secure bricks and iron sheets to build a decent home for herself and her children.
Disability inclusion a game-changer
The We Are Able! project has become a transformative force for persons with disabilities (PWDs) in Arua city, empowering them to take charge of their lives and realise their full potential.
Through this initiative, PWDs have been able to advocate for their right to access land for food production, improving both income and food security within their households.
The project uses the Participatory Integrated Planning (PIP) method and the inclusive savings (iSAVE) approach to empower PWDs.
By promoting inclusive governance and community engagement, the project is shifting perceptions, recognising the value and contributions of PWDs.
As a result, persons with disabilities in Arua city have become more visible, empowered, and active in decision-making processes that affect their lives.
The five-year We Are Able! project, which began in 2021, is implemented by a consortium of five partners—ZOA (lead agency), National Union of Disabled Persons of Uganda (NUDIPU), Light for the World, The Hague Academy for Local Governance, and VNG International—with funding from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands.
From despair to empowerment
The project’s transformative impact is also evident in the life of Hellen Faida, a 46-year-old single mother in Etiwa cell, Ambeko ward in Ayivu division, Arua city. Faida was thrown out of her marital home with six children after she suddenly went blind.
“When I was chased away by my husband, my father—who was a soldier—also refused to let me live at his home. He described me as a bad omen for the family and disowned me with all my six children. I was given a plot of land over 10 kilometres away from where the rest of the family is staying,” lamented Faida.
Despite her situation, Faida refused to let her disability define her destiny.
“I went to the place, which was bushy, with my children—without food, without shelter, with no one to turn to. We started living in a tent for some time. All my children dropped out of school, but I did not give up on life. The story changed after the introduction of the We Are Able! project, and now I am speaking a different language despite being completely visually impaired."
Thanks to the GBV survivor's grant of sh300,000, along with PIP and inclusive savings support, Faida now runs a piggery, owns two goats, operates a small business, and has acquired 22 iron sheets and 5,000 bricks to construct a proper home for her family.
She says the project has empowered her to engage socially with community members and help link fellow PWDs to government programmes such as the Parish Development Model (PDM).
Empowered leadership from within
Kassim Oledra, a physically impaired beneficiary and LC1 chairperson of Mundru cell in Micu ward, Arua city, has used his position to connect fellow PWDs to various government projects. Kassim is driving inclusive development and ensuring PWDs access critical services and opportunities.
“I have used my influence and the PIP and iSAVE approaches to support the PWDs. So far in this ward, 19 PWDs have benefited from the Parish Development Model and six others have been verified. Because this project has stretched us to envision the future, I believe I will be a different person economically. Right now, I own a tricycle motorcycle and a small grinding machine that are generating income,” said Oledra.
As a leader, Kassim’s aspirations include advocating for improved accessibility, continuing to amplify the voices of PWDs, and ensuring their representation in all decision-making processes.
NUDIPU applauds the impact
Mercy Monica Ocotoko, coordinator of the We Are Able! programme for PWDs in Arua city and Terego under NUDIPU, said there is a critical need for a shift in attitudes towards PWDs if full inclusion is to be achieved in West Nile.
Ocotoko emphasised that the programme has helped change perceptions both among PWDs and towards them.
“The We Are Able! project has changed many lives among PWDs in the city. When you talk about the barriers to PWDs, a lot has changed. The project has transformed lives—even those of implementers like myself. I have learnt and benefited a lot. The only thing we need to do is to continue advocacy and lobbying and ensure that these gains are sustained. Local governments must now take over because Uganda has the best policies, but implementation remains poor,” said Ocotoko.
Sustainability measures in place
Prince Swaleh, chairperson of the Council for Persons with Disabilities in Arua city, confirmed the project’s positive impact, stating that he has experienced personal growth through capacity-building initiatives.
Regarding sustainability, Swaleh said 18 iSAVE groups have begun making weekly contributions and have already opened a group account to ensure continuity after the project ends.
“We have also received sh31m from VNG International for activities after the project closes. Additionally, under the special government grant for PWDs, we have received over sh200m, which has been distributed to 4,779 PWDs in the city,” he said.
Why We Are Able!
According to Moses Bayo, inclusion focal person at VNG International, the project’s primary goal is to co-create inclusive governance that supports access to basic resources, especially land and food, for all.
He said in West Nile, the project is being implemented in Arua city, Terego, and Yumbe districts.
Beneficiary statistics
Godwin Ezale, West Nile hub manager of the We Are Able! project, said they have so far reached 2,061 households—905 male-headed and 1,156 female-headed.
“We have mobilised a total of 62 iSAVE groups in the West Nile region—18 in Arua city, 17 in Terego, and 27 in Yumbe. Even after the project closes, we expect the numbers to increase as the initiative is now community-led,” said Ezale.
According to household data from NUDIPU, Arua city has 4,779 PWDs—2,331 males and 2,448 females—benefiting from the We Are Able! project.
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