Sightsavers

Michelle’s story ✨ Around the world, many women don’t get to run businesses because of gender inequality and disability discrimination. Michelle is breaking down these barriers. As a makeup artist and beautician in Zimbabwe, she runs her own business and is a mentor to other women with disabilities through Sightsavers’ economic empowerment project. With this work, she is supporting other women with disabilities to claim their rights and gain jobs and business opportunities. Michelle says, “I've always wanted to have a very big business. I can’t explain the joy that comes with being able to attain something for myself. "[The mentoring] has been so amazing. When you get those messages to say, ‘I managed to achieve ABC today. I finally pushed that door. I finally went into that office to speak to those people I've always been so afraid of.” Women's empowerment is world-changing. Get it? Read the full story 👇 https://lnkd.in/ek32fwA2

We're working with CARE International UK and Diageo in Tanzania to help remove the barriers women with disabilities face and empower them to take part in decision-making spaces. Watch the video 👇 #IWD2025 #InternationalWomensDay #WomensRights #DisabilityRights

Turning Dreams into Achievements   For Aisha, designing henna and baking weren’t just hobbies, they were her craft. But like any successful businesswoman, she knew that skill alone wasn’t enough.   With the GESP-SABI Woman program, she sharpened her financial management, customer service, and marketing strategies. She learned how to track her profits, attract more clients, and grow her business with confidence.   Now, she’s not just running a business, she’s creating opportunities, expanding her reach, and proving that with the right knowledge, nothing is out of reach.   💡 #WomenDontGetIt until we make sure they do. Sightsavers 💡 #AccelerateAction. #IWD2025 #DisabilityInclusion #SABIwoman Sightsavers

Building a Business, Shaping a Future   Miriam’s business was more than just a way to earn, it was her passion. But to grow, she needed the right skills and guidance.   Through the GESP-SABI Woman program, she gained business planning, financial management, and innovation strategies that helped her rethink how she operated. With new ideas and confidence, she expanded her product line and strengthened her customer base.   Today, she’s not just selling peanuts and perfume oils, she’s proving that women with disabilities can build thriving businesses when given the right support.   💡 #WomenDontGetIt until we make sure they do. Sightsavers 💡#AccelerateAction   #IWD2025 #DisabilityInclusion #SABIwoman Sightsavers

Turning Talent into Opportunity   Aisha’s henna designs and baking skills made her well-known in Kano. But talent alone wasn’t enough she needed the right business knowledge to expand.   Through the Sightsavers GESP-SABI Woman program, she mastered financial literacy, customer service, and marketing. She now tracks her income, improves client experience, and uses social media to reach a larger audience, making her business stronger than ever.   💬 “I now have the confidence to plan my business future.”   When women with disabilities get access to the right skills, they don’t just survive, they thrive.   💡 #WomenDontGetIt until we make sure they do.   #IWD2025 #DisabilityInclusion #SABIwoman Sightsavers Omojo Adaji Rasak Adekoya Esther Bature Anita Nchat Kevin

Exciting news! I’m so proud to say that the IT Bridge Academy Kenya, a Sightsavers project supporting young people with disabilities in IT training, has been named the best-performing Cisco academy in the world! Out of 12,000 academies, the Kenya-based programme was recognised for increasing student enrolments, supporting learners from marginalised backgrounds, and achieving outstanding results, a testament to the power of inclusive opportunity in the tech industry. With a 100% pass rate across all three cohorts, this model is proving that when young people with disabilities are given the right tools, they can thrive in the #DigitalEconomy. But this success is not only in Kenya. Since 2023, #Sightsavers has expanded the IT Bridge Academy to Nigeria with two academies in Lagos and Kano, where we are already implementing the model and experiencing promising results. Big shout out to MTN Nigeria for their contributions to training and hiring of students from the academy. As we plan to scale up and scale out to additional countries, we look forward to reaching even more young people with disabilities, equipping them with the skills to secure jobs, start their businesses and transform their futures. A huge congratulations to the dedicated trainers, partners, and students making this possible. Let’s keep pushing for a more inclusive, diverse, and dynamic tech industry! https://lnkd.in/dYgCkFYU NATIONAL INDUSTRIAL TRAINING AUTHORITY UNITED DISABLED PERSONS OF KENYA Cisco Networking Academy Digital Bridge Institute Unilever Ola Ehinmoro

Women don't get equal opportunities. Sumrana Yasmin shares some key messages from the Community Eye Health Journal's special issue on eye health for women and girls. Check it out 👇 #IWD2025 #WomensRights #InternationalWomensDay

The odds are stacked against women with disabilities 🙄 Not on our watch! Technical advisor, Sarah Wang’ombe, summarises recommendations from women with disabilities: from empowering them to lead on decision-making, to implementing policies that remove barriers to economic growth. We can be the change! Let's make sure that everyone is included, and that women with disabilities aren't left behind this #InternationalWomensDay. Together, we're making moves to build a brighter tomorrow. Read more here 👇 https://lnkd.in/ePj6nRdE

Women don’t get decision-making power. "I wanted to go to the hospital, but my family wouldn’t let me. They asked, ‘Do you have money for that?’" When Caliha lost her sight, she also lost her independence. In her community, women often don’t get to make decisions about their own health, not even when their vision is at stake. 💬 "If a husband decides his wife shouldn’t go to the hospital, she won’t go." For years, Caliha struggled. She couldn’t farm, cook or move freely. Then, a health worker told her about free cataract surgery. She took the chance and when the bandages came off, she could see again. 💡 "Now, I can fetch water, gather firewood, and cook on my own!" No woman should be denied access to health care. This International Women’s Day, we’re calling for change. 🔗 Read more: https://lnkd.in/eUSBR6EG #IWD2025 #HealthForAll

Women don't get employment opportunities 👩🏾💼 Lydia has had to work twice as hard to get where she is today. As a woman with a disability, she faces a double bias.  "You have to prove yourself as a woman and you have to prove your abilities as a woman with a disability." Women are consistently denied opportunities to take the lead, especially in male dominated spaces. Lydia is changing that. She now works in a government role, increasing access to information and opportunities for people with disabilities. #IWD2025 #WomensRights https://lnkd.in/dU_-_eDj