Breaking Barriers: Celebrating Leadership on International Day of Persons with Disabilities

Every year on December 3, the world acknowledges the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, emphasizing inclusivity and the rights of over 1.3 billion people globally. The 2024 theme, "Amplifying the Leadership of Persons with Disabilities for an Inclusive and Sustainable Future," underscores the significance of their leadership in shaping an equitable future.

The Reality in Bangladesh

In Bangladesh, approximately 9% of the population, or 16 million people, live with disabilities, facing significant societal and systemic challenges:

• Employment: 66.22% of persons with disabilities between 15-64 years old are without employment.
• Education: 54.74% of people with disabilities (aged 3 years or above) have no formal education.

These issues are compounded by poor infrastructure and societal stigma.

 

DigiGram Ventures: Empowering through Inclusion

DigiGram Ventures is transforming lives through its Shathi platform, focusing on inclusion and empowerment. Senowara Begum, a Shathi from rural Bangladesh with hearing and intellectual impairments, exemplifies this change. Through Shathi's support, she earns through livestock farming, providing for her family and gaining self-reliance.