Ojok Simon
Country: Uganda
Organisation: HIVE Uganda Limited
Ojok became partially blind during the civil war. His passion of beekeeping led him to found Hive Uganda, an organisation that trains blind and partially sighted people in the entire process of bee keeping, from planting of trees to the use and sales of honey and other bee products. His beneficiaries are now breadwinners in their families and activists as they keep hives close to farms to keep the elephants away. More about Ojok's inspiring work can be found at www.hiveuganda.org
Jacqueline Dorleku
Country: Ghana
Organisation: Blind Sparks Ghana
During her work as a teacher and her studies in special education, Jacqueline interacted with blind students and learnt about their difficulties to access education. Therefore she started a resource center and a preparatory school for the blind to support blind students in mainstream schools. Blind sparks works on early identification and intervention for children with visual impairment between the ages of 0 to 6 years.
Website: www.blindsparksghana.org
Leishram Leingakpa
Country: India
Laishram advocates for the rights of blind children/youth and adults by imparting inhouse training in computer, Mobility, independent living and personality development skills to the blind.
Nyasiri Mary Inzofu
Country: Kenya
Organisation: Njia Empowerment Organization
Mary faced challenges of poverty and female discrimination as a child which drove her to dedicate herself to community development. During interactions with blind people, she developed the passion to empower the blind, especially girls, to overcome challenges of exclusion and stigmatization and become active part of society.
Website: www.neokenya.org
Tamás Barkó
Country: Hungary
Organisation: Artman – Shall we Dance?
As a blind person, dance helped him a lot to become self confident in movement and communication. As many blind people are reluctant to go out and interact with others, he wants to use dance as a tool to develop self confidence and integration of blind people. Tamas is also a dedicated and highly professional fire spinner. As a long-term goal he is planning to start an artistic show for blind jugglers and other blind or blindfolded acrobats
Alaba Lawrence Afere
Country: Nigeria
Organisation: Spring Board Nigeria
In his country, many young people do not have perspectives in life due to lack of education and employment opportunities. Lawrence has already started a farm project to empower marginalized youth to create their own opportunities. Work on the farm and educational activities are a way to provide meaningful occupation and generate income.
Website: www.springboardnig.com
Sristi KC
Country: Nepal
Organisation: Blind Rocks!
When she lost her eyesight at the age of sixteen, Sristi KC discovered that vision loss was only one of the obstacles that would lie in her path. As she faced the ignorance about and discrimination against the blind that run rampant in her homeland of Nepal, it became clear to her that she would have to fight hard for the life she had enjoyed. Dancing had always been a passion, an outlet, and a manner of expression for Sristi, and although she was physically and mentally capable of dancing, the dancing community and Nepalese society at large rejected her.
In 2012, the kanthari course gave Sristi energy and confidence and she gained the right tools and methods to start her organization Blind Rocks!
Blind Rocks’ mission is to fully integrate and engage blind people into every aspect of society. Blind Rocks offers a series of innovative workshops that impart interpersonal skills, such as public speaking, facial expression, space awareness, and communication skills.
The dance, fashion, and beauty workshops are designed to boost self-esteem and engage the blind in fun and social activities.
The adventure trips encourage the blind to step outside their comfort zones by exposing them to river rafting, kayaking, and hiking. In addition to energizing audiences with her graceful and beautiful dancing, Sristi has inspired thousands of blind people all over the world that they also can take their future into their own hands. More info at www.blindrocks.org
Karthikeyan Ganeshan
Country: India
Organisation: Sristi Village
Karthik grew up in an orphanage along-side intellectually and physically disabled children. After studying psychology and witnessing how disabled people in India are denied opportunities for growth, education, employment, independence and respect, Karthik knew he needed to do something. He arrived at kanthari saddened and disturbed by their fate, but motivated to learn how to enhance their lives. Following his kanthari training, Karthik founded Sristi Village whose mission is to provide the disabled with education and opportunity and ensure that they are treated with dignity and respect. Now, Sristi Village includes eco friendly housing for all residents, a school for disabled children, a vocational training center and a self sustaining organic farm. By creating the physical space for disabled and non-disabled to live, learn and work side-by-side, Sristi is bringing together students, teachers, therapists, engineers, architects and experts in organic farming and energy efficient construction. It is Karthik’s hope that Sristi will soon be able to welcome researchers to study his novel concept and that it will serve as a model for future communities in India and all over the world.
Website: www.sristivillage.org
Saa Moses Lamin
Country: Sierra Leone
Organisation: Score Sierra Leone
The war in his country created divisions and conflicts. Saa found out that football is a tool to overcome these divisions and engage young people in meaningful activities. “Score Sierra Leone” dreams of a peaceful, just, prosperous and self-reliant Sierra Leone in which young people and their communities recognize, appreciate and accept their tribal, ethnic, gender and religious differences.
Patrick Kyaligamba
Country: Uganda
Organisation: Artman – Growell
In his country, people from rural communities face many difficulties to access health services. Therefore, Patrick plans to set up a mobile clinic and provide community health services. It is his goal that communities own the project and through adequate training, learn to find solutions for their problems.
Battihun Mary Khongmawloh
Country: India
Organisation: Ka Jingkieng Ksiar(The Golden Bridge)
She experienced that in the villages, family structures are affected by poverty and alcoholism. It is her dream to set up a community where people who come from broken families or disadvantaged groups can live together and have the chance to realize their potentials. She wants to offer guidance and support to people who could not find the necessary support in their families.
Manglu Sreedhar
Country: India
Organisation: Kanavu
In her community, many children drop out of school because of language problems and challenges with cultural adjustment. Therefore, Manglu is a member of the first generation at Kanavu, an alternative school where children learn in a practical way and according to their interests. Unfortunately this project stopped several years ago. It is Manglu’s dream to revive this program.
Olutayo Ajayi
Country: Nigeria
Organisation: Hive Initiative
After his family experienced a financial crisis Tayo had to move out and lived on the streets of Lagos for a while. He is upset about the prejudices against street children and wants to create mind-set changes through empowering a group of his former peers to become successful businessmen.
Website: http://hiveinitiative.wordpress.com/
Bruce Sexton
Country: USA
Organisation: Blind Sparks India
Bruce Sexton, being blind himself, wants to make a difference for blind children to proactively integrate themselves into mainstream.