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Film

Breaking Chains

Following her husband’s death by suicide, Santoshi BK experienced depression and hallucinations. She gained support through a self-help group and has become an advocate for those with psychosocial disabilities.

Filmmaker: Sanjaya Raj Neupane

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Sanjaya Raj Neupane is the advocacy coordinator at KOSHISH, an organization amplifying the voices of persons with psychosocial disabilities.  Read more about Sanjaya Raj Neupane

Crossroads

DJP Fellow Sita Sah explores the challenges and societal barriers faced by blind women in Nepal, highlighting both their personal struggles and the collective activism aimed at systemic change.

Filmmaker: Sita Sah

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Sita Sah is a project assistant at the Blind Women Association Nepal (BWAN) with over five years of professional experience across various sectors and NGOs.  Read more about Sita Sah

Rise Up! 

Women with disabilities in the Solomon Islands face barriers to employment. When Diana Ma’ahoro experienced these firsthand, she enrolled in a national leadership program. Now she's a renowned disability rights activist in the Pacific.

Filmmaker: Melvina Voua

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Melvina Voua is a member of People with Disability Solomon Islands (PWDSI), the umbrella body of organizations for people with disabilities in the Solomon Islands.  Read more about Melvina Voua

Deputy Mayor Kauma

Fazira Kauma toppled political barriers in Uganda when she became the first woman and the first blind citizen to be appointed deputy mayor in Jinja. She says disability representation in politics is key.

Filmmaker: Christine Oliver Dhikusooka

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Christine Oliver Dhikusooka is executive director of One Voice Heard 4 Disability Uganda (OVH4DU), which advocates for the rights of women with disabilities in Uganda.  Read more about Christine Oliver Dhikusooka

‘I Feel Like an Outsider’

For many Indonesians with psychosocial disabilities, access to mental health care remains a challenge. With the help of a friend, 44-year-old Ardiansyah eventually found refuge in a local mosque.

Filmmaker: Kinanty Andini

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Kinanty Andini is a freelance graphic design and digital artist. She is affiliated with the Indonesia Mental Health Association (IMHA), also known as the Association of Healthy Souls.  Read more about Kinanty Andini

Dramatic Waves of Change

Kiribati native Ruby Nabetari has witnessed first-hand the severe and rapid impacts of global warming. She hopes that through theater, she can speak volumes to policymakers deciding the fates of climate-vulnerable nations. 

Filmmaker: Faaolo Utumapu-Utailesolo

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Faaolo Utumapu-Utailesolo is the Program Officer for the Pacific Island Countries for the Disability Rights Fund and the Disability Rights Advocacy Fund.  Read more about Faaolo Utumapu-Utailesolo

A New Challenge

Of the nearly 400 DeafBlind people living in Malawi, 250 are school-aged children. DJP Fellow Duster Lucius interviews Chrissy Mutumba, the first DeafBlind student accepted to a prestigious high school in Blantyre.

Filmmaker: Duster Lucius

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Duster Lucius is a 19-year-old disability youth activist who is DeafBlind (partial hearing, completely blind) and a national youth coordinator at the Visual Hearing Impairment Membership Association (VIHEMA).  Read more about Duster Lucius

On the Frontlines of the Climate Crisis

As the effects of climate change intensify, severe flooding will become increasingly common in Samoa, disproportionately impacting persons with disabilities. Activists say accessibility must be central to emergency response plans.

Filmmaker: Sa Utailesolo

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Sa Utailesolo has been working at the National Advocacy Organisation of Persons with Disabilities, Nuanua O Le Alofa, as a finance and administration coordinator for nearly 15 years.  Read more about Sa Utailesolo

An Essential Benefit

The first disability benefit scheme in Samoan history offers monthly payments to residents with disabilities. DJP Fellow Ari Hazelman interviews Samoan advocates pushing for the strengthening of this essential program.

Filmmaker: Ari Tommy Hazelman

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Ari Tommy Hazelman is a blind 34-year-old Samoan man posted as the disability inclusive officer for the Samoa Blind Persons Association (SBPA).  Read more about Ari Tommy Hazelman

‘Knowledge is Power’

The Samoa Blind Persons Association recently produced the first Braille translation of the Samoan government's disaster risk management booklet. DJP Fellow Ari Hazelman was a key advocate in this enormous step forward.

Filmmaker: Ari Tommy Hazelman

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Ari Tommy Hazelman is a blind 34-year-old Samoan man posted as the disability inclusive officer for the Samoa Blind Persons Association (SBPA).  Read more about Ari Tommy Hazelman

Gender Justice

In the workplace, Samoan women with disabilities face a complex web of discrimination arising from the convergence of gender and disability biases.

Filmmaker: Faaolo Utumapu-Utailesolo

Photo of Faaolo Utumapu-Utailesolo.

Faaolo Utumapu-Utailesolo is the Program Officer for the Pacific Island Countries for the Disability Rights Fund and the Disability Rights Advocacy Fund.  Read more about Faaolo Utumapu-Utailesolo

‘Life Is Possible’

At different points in their lives, Dorothy Natako Mubezi and Irene Isiko faced challenges as Ugandan women with psychosocial disabilities. They both found their own paths forward with the help of their community.

Filmmaker: Esther Suubi

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Esther Suubi is an advocate for young girls and women's voices and a peer educator at Triumph Mental Health Support.  Read more about Esther Suubi

‘Nobody Will Be Giving Me Any Coin’

DJP Fellow Christine Oliver Dhikusooka sets out to learn why only 1.3 percent of formally employed Ugandans are disabled. Along the way, she interviews a mother who makes fishing nets and a Deaf schoolteacher.

Filmmaker: Christine Oliver Dhikusooka

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Christine Oliver Dhikusooka is executive director of One Voice Heard 4 Disability Uganda (OVH4DU), which advocates for the rights of women with disabilities in Uganda.  Read more about Christine Oliver Dhikusooka

‘I Swallow Medicine But Run Short on Food’

Ugandans with disabilities who are HIV positive are at greater risk of secondary infections because of a lack of access to nutritious food. Advocates ask the government for more support.

Filmmaker: Nissy Namuyomba

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Nissy Namuyomba is an administrative assistant at the Masaka Association of Persons with Disabilities Living with HIV/AIDs and a volunteer with the Masaka Association of Persons with Cerebral Palsy in Uganda.  Read more about Nissy Namuyomba

‘The Children Can’t be Wrong’

For World Autism Awareness Day, DJP Fellow Naufal Asy-Syaddad explores what it's like to be autistic in Indonesia in 2023. He interviews friends from his hometown and shares his own hopes and dreams.

Filmmaker: Naufal Asy-Syaddad

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Naufal Asy-Syaddad is a disability rights activist with autism and chairperson of Yogasmara Foundation's youth group.  Read more about Naufal Asy-Syaddad

‘We Are Born Perfect’

Rina Prasarini has a message for disabled women: "Don't give up. Keep fighting." In 'We Are Born Perfect,' DJP Fellow Retta Maha interviews the entrepreneur, disability rights activist, and single mother of two.

Filmmaker: Mahretta Maha

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Mahretta Maha is a disability rights activist living with blindness. She is a program officer at the Association for Disability Access Elections (PPUAD) for the National Coalition of Organizations with Disabilities.  Read more about Mahretta Maha

One Voice

2021 DJP Fellow Esther Suubi provides an intimate look at how Ugandan women with psychosocial disabilities unite against discrimination. *Audio descriptions for blind and low-vision audiences.

Filmmaker: Esther Suubi

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Esther Suubi is an advocate for young girls and women's voices and a peer educator at Triumph Mental Health Support.  Read more about Esther Suubi

‘Blind Persons Can Do Massage Therapy’

Beth Gatonye founded Seeing Hands Rwanda after noticing the high unemployment rate among Rwandans with disabilities. Her organization is working with participants to transition from training to employment.

Filmmaker: Esther Mukampogazi

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Esther Mukampogazi is a project manager and advocacy coordinator at the Organization of Women with Disabilities for Health Promotion and Development in Rwanda (OWDHD).   Read more about Esther Mukampogazi

Out of Their Hands

The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated limited work opportunities for Indonesian massage therapists who are blind and low-vision. *Audio descriptions for blind and low-vision audiences.

Filmmaker: Mahretta Maha

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Mahretta Maha is a disability rights activist living with blindness. She is a program officer at the Association for Disability Access Elections (PPUAD) for the National Coalition of Organizations with Disabilities.  Read more about Mahretta Maha

A ‘Bitter Pill’

Lily Puspitasari and Nurhayati Ratna Sari Dewi, two Indonesian women with psychosocial disabilities, speak out against workplace discrimination. *Audio descriptions for blind and low-vision audiences.

Filmmaker: Kinanty Andini

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Kinanty Andini is a freelance graphic design and digital artist. She is affiliated with the Indonesia Mental Health Association (IMHA), also known as the Association of Healthy Souls.  Read more about Kinanty Andini

‘Not To Be Feared’

Jongaya is one of Indonesia's last leprosy settlements. Many people choose to live here to escape discrimination and stigma. *Audio descriptions for blind and low-vision audiences.

Filmmaker: Dija

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Dija is chairperson of the Association of Indonesian Women with Disabilities (HWDI)’s branch in Simbang in the Indonesian province of South Sulawesi.   Read more about Dija

A Different Way of Learning

2022 DJP Fellow Naufal Asy-Syaddad speaks with two Indonesian men with autism about the obstacles they've faced throughout their education and search for employment. *Audio descriptions for blind and low-vision audiences.

Filmmaker: Naufal Asy-Syaddad

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Naufal Asy-Syaddad is a disability rights activist with autism and chairperson of Yogasmara Foundation's youth group.  Read more about Naufal Asy-Syaddad

‘The Door is Open’

Indonesians with disabilities have faced barriers to involvement in elections. Ariani Soekanwo is changing that. *Audio descriptions for blind and low-vision audiences.

Filmmaker: Mahretta Maha

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Mahretta Maha is a disability rights activist living with blindness. She is a program officer at the Association for Disability Access Elections (PPUAD) for the National Coalition of Organizations with Disabilities.  Read more about Mahretta Maha

Denied Assistance

Indonesian social assistance policy has left many persons with disabilities without financial support. *Audio descriptions for blind and low-vision audiences.

Filmmaker: Kinanty Andini

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Kinanty Andini is a freelance graphic design and digital artist. She is affiliated with the Indonesia Mental Health Association (IMHA), also known as the Association of Healthy Souls.  Read more about Kinanty Andini

Healthcare Ensured

Indonesians with disabilities still lack equal access to healthcare. A new policy provides hope for Sustia Rini. *Audio descriptions for blind and low-vision audiences.

Filmmaker: Sri Sukarni

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Sri Sukarni is chairperson of the Indonesia Association of Disabled Women (HWDI)’s branch in the province of West Nusa Tenggara.  Read more about Sri Sukarni

Inclusion 101

Students with DeafBlindness face education barriers in Nigeria. *Audio descriptions for blind and low-vision audiences.

Filmmaker: Oluwabukolami Omolara Badmus

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Oluwabukolami Omolara Badumus is a disability rights activist and feminist based in Lagos, Nigeria. She is both the financial secretary and Lagos state coordinator for the Lionheart Ability Leaders International Foundation (LALIF).   Read more about Oluwabukolami Omolara Badmus

Ending Stigma Together

Triumph Uganda and International Disability Alliance members discuss the power of community in combatting mental health stigma. *Audio descriptions for blind and low-vision audiences.

Filmmaker: Esther Suubi

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Esther Suubi is an advocate for young girls and women's voices and a peer educator at Triumph Mental Health Support.  Read more about Esther Suubi

Overcoming Barriers to Health Care

TASO clients and staff talk about the medical climate for people living with HIV and disability in Uganda. *Audio descriptions for blind and low-vision audiences.

Filmmaker: Nissy Namuyomba

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Nissy Namuyomba is an administrative assistant at the Masaka Association of Persons with Disabilities Living with HIV/AIDs and a volunteer with the Masaka Association of Persons with Cerebral Palsy in Uganda.  Read more about Nissy Namuyomba

‘Put Words into Action!’

Malawians with disabilities continue to encounter inaccessible public infrastructure. *Audio descriptions for blind and low-vision audiences. .

Filmmaker: Julie-Marie Chibekete

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Julie-Marie Chibekete is a program assistant (monitoring and evaluation) for the World Food Programme Malawi country office and an active member of the Spinal injuries Association of Malawi (SIAM).   Read more about Julie-Marie Chibekete

Equal Opportunity for All

Driven by his own experiences with DeafBlindness, Solomon Olakunle Okelola advocates for the rights of people with disabilities to be fully included in society. *Audio descriptions for blind and low-vision audiences.

Filmmaker: Oluwabukolami Omolara Badmus

Photo of Oluwabukolami Omolara Badmus.

Oluwabukolami Omolara Badumus is a disability rights activist and feminist based in Lagos, Nigeria. She is both the financial secretary and Lagos state coordinator for the Lionheart Ability Leaders International Foundation (LALIF).   Read more about Oluwabukolami Omolara Badmus

If There’s a Wheel, There’s a Way

SIAM's Scader Louis works to address the needs of persons with spinal cord injuries from a rights-based approach. *Audio descriptions for blind and low-vision audiences.

Filmmaker: Julie-Marie Chibekete

Photo of Julie-Marie Chibekete.

Julie-Marie Chibekete is a program assistant (monitoring and evaluation) for the World Food Programme Malawi country office and an active member of the Spinal injuries Association of Malawi (SIAM).   Read more about Julie-Marie Chibekete

It Takes a Village

After experiencing a mental health crisis of her own, Robinah Alambuya founded TRIUMPH Uganda to help others with psychosocial disabilities in her community. *Audio descriptions for blind and low-vision audiences.

Filmmaker: Esther Suubi

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Esther Suubi is an advocate for young girls and women's voices and a peer educator at Triumph Mental Health Support.  Read more about Esther Suubi

Finding the Light

NOUSPR has a dream - a world in which all people with psychosocial disabilities are treated with the respect and dignity. *Audio descriptions for blind and low-vision audiences.

Filmmaker: Rose Umutesi

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Rose Umutesi is chairperson of the National Organization of Users and Survivors of Psychiatry in Rwanda and co-founder and treasurer of its umbrella organization, National Union of Disabilities Organizations of Rwanda.   Read more about Rose Umutesi

Disability and HIV

MADIPHA is advocating for a person-centered, disability-inclusive response to HIV in Uganda. *Audio descriptions for blind and low-vision audiences.

Filmmaker: Nissy Namuyomba

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Nissy Namuyomba is an administrative assistant at the Masaka Association of Persons with Disabilities Living with HIV/AIDs and a volunteer with the Masaka Association of Persons with Cerebral Palsy in Uganda.  Read more about Nissy Namuyomba

Coronavirus Fight Song

Music sensation SingStar Ali says persons with disabilities in Rwanda have been particularly impacted by the pandemic due to inaccessible washing stations, the inability to social distance, and more.

Filmmaker: SingStar Ali

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SingStar Ali is based in Rwanda.  Read more about SingStar Ali

A Place Where We Belong

Myths and superstitions about persons with albinism put them at greater risk during COVID-19. OIPPA is fighting against these stigmas and for the inclusion of persons with albinism throughout Rwanda.

Filmmaker: Thacien Biziyaremye

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Thacien Biziyaremye is a journalist, director, editor, and camera operator and the co-founder of SACAMS (Special Advocacy, Communication and Media Services) Ltd. He is based in Kigali, Rwanda.   Read more about Thacien Biziyaremye

Disability Inclusion Music Video

Dancing through the streets of Zambia, R&B singer John Chiti encourages persons with disabilities to take precautions during the pandemic and says everyone is impacted, whether they have been infected or not.

Filmmaker: John Chiti

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R&B singer John Chiti is executive director of the Albinism Foundation of Zambia (AFZ). The musician has produced two songs about the coronavirus to raise awareness about its impact on people with disabilities.  Read more about John Chiti