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Promoting Inclusion Through Storytelling
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Meet DJP Fellow Nissy Namuyomba
October 13, 2021
Disability Justice Project Fellow Nissy Namuyomba was born in 1994 in rural Masaka, southwest Uganda. As a child, Namuyomba dreamed of owning a bank, often finding herself staring into bank windows imagining herself there. At boarding school from the age of five, Namuyomba faced stigmatization from some students as the only student with a physical disability among a thousand others. She learned to ignore the negativity and instead developed her strengths by interacting with other students and teachers to create opportunities for success. When the realities of living with a disability became clear, she found herself interested in becoming an advocate for people with disabilities. Namuyomba graduated with a degree in business administration and management from Uganda Martyrs University Nkozi in 2016.
The opportunities available to Namuyomba after graduation were limited. The COVID-19 pandemic put an end to her internship with a logistics company, and she found herself back home without a plan. That changed when Namuyomba participated in a Masaka Association of Persons with Disabilities (MADIPHA) gender-based violence project. MADIPHA noticed her communication skills and asked her to volunteer with two organizations. She served in a crucial capacity, supporting the work of a colleague at the Greater Masaka Association of Persons with Cerebral Palsy who needed communication assistance. Namuyomba’s work was so well received that she was offered a paid position as an administrative assistant at MADIPHA. Namuyomba’s social and leadership skills continue to serve her organization well. She networks with local leaders, provides financial accountability, and facilitates disability inclusion. One of her greatest memories is presenting her poem about MADIPHA and its fight to stop the spread of HIV/AIDS among people with disabilities at the coronation of the king of Buganda on live television.
MADIPHA’s mission is to promote access to comprehensive HIV/AIDS services and sustainable livelihoods for all persons with disabilities. This mission is achieved through women’s empowerment, increased civic engagement, economic empowerment, collaboration, policy, and advocacy. Namuyomba is excited to learn the digital storytelling skills necessary to bring the positive stories of people with disabilities to light using traditional songs and dance and new creative works by people with disabilities. She will partner with local media through the South Buganda Journalists Association to share her skills and ideas. Namuyomba is excited to use accessible media technology to train and empower youth with disabilities, having served as chairperson of the Greater Masaka Association of Youth with Disabilities.
Namuyomba’s identity is formed not just as a person with disability but also as a Muganda woman of the Ngabi clan, speaker of the Bantu language Luganda, young community leader, and family member. She enjoys relaxing in her family home with reality-based adventure comics and movies. Namuyomba is passionate about helping other people achieve success and fulfillment. As a Disability Justice Project (DJP) fellow, she is inspired to create an inclusive society for people with disabilities through narrative storytelling.
News From the Global Frontlines of Disability Justice
Disability Aid Disrupted
The Trump administration’s 90-day pause on USAID funding has had far-reaching consequences, particularly for disabled people and organizations worldwide, including members of the Disability Justice Project (DJP) community. Activists from Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Rwanda report severe disruptions, deepening challenges for marginalized communities, especially disabled people facing conflict, poverty, and structural discrimination.
A Life’s Work
After losing his sight, artist Jean de Dieu Uwikunda found new ways to create, using a flashlight at night to outline objects and distinguishing colors by their scents. His story, along with that of DeafBlind sports coach Jean Marie Furaha, is rare in Rwanda. While over 446,000 Rwandans have disabilities, a 2019 study found that only 52 percent of working-age disabled adults were employed, compared to 71 percent of their non-disabled counterparts.
‘I Won’t Give Up My Rights Anymore’
After a life-altering accident, Lakshmi Lohar struggled with fear and stigma in her rural Nepalese community. In 2023, she found a lifeline through KOSHISH National Mental Health Self-Help Organization, which helped her develop social connections and access vocational training in tailoring. Today, Lakshmi is reclaiming her independence and shaping a future beyond the limitations once placed on her. “I won’t give up my rights anymore,” she says, “just like I learned in the meetings.”
Rwanda’s Marburg Crisis
As Rwanda confronts its first-ever Marburg virus outbreak, people with disabilities face heightened risks — not only from the virus but also from the lack of accessible health information. “Without proper accommodations, such as sign language interpreters, captions, Braille, or visual aids, the Deaf and DeafBlind community may miss crucial information about how to protect themselves, symptoms to watch for, or where to seek help in case of infection,” says Joseph Musabyimana, executive director of the Rwanda Organization of Persons with Deaf Blindness.
Capturing Vision Through Sound and Touch
Last year, the DJP trained Indigenous activists with disabilities from the Pacific on the iPhone camera to create a documentary series on disability and climate change. With VoiceOver, the iPhone provides image descriptions for blind and low-vision filmmakers and offers other accessible features. “If you think about it, it doesn’t make sense for a blind person to use a camera,” says DJP filmmaker Ari Hazelman. “The iPhone gives you more avenues to tell your story in a more profound way as a blind person.”
Work for All
The We Can Work program equips young Rwandans with disabilities to navigate barriers to employment through education, vocational training, and soft skills development. By fostering inclusive workplaces and advocating for policy changes, the program aims to reduce poverty and promote economic independence. Participants like Alliance Ukwishaka are optimistic that the program will enable them to achieve their dreams and showcase their potential. The initiative is part of a larger effort to support 30 million disabled youth across seven African countries.