The Vulnerable People Support and Development Initiative (V-PeSDI) has intensified advocacy for disability inclusion through a grassroots community awareness campaign across six Local Government Areas of Kano State.
The campaign, held on Sunday, September 13, 2026, covered Nassarawa, Gwale, Kano Municipal, Ungogo, Tarauni and Kumbotso Local Government Areas, with a focus on promoting awareness of the rights, dignity, participation and equal opportunities of persons with disabilities.
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As part of the initiative, V-PeSDI formally handed over awareness posters to Mai Garin Gama, Mallam Muhammad Rabiu Isyaku, as part of efforts to strengthen grassroots engagement and ensure that disability inclusion messages reach communities through trusted local structures.
According to the organisation, traditional leaders, Imams, Ward Heads and other community stakeholders have an important role to play in promoting disability inclusion and influencing positive social attitudes.
V-PeSDI said disability inclusion could not be achieved through government policies and institutional interventions alone, stressing that sustainable inclusion must begin within communities where social attitudes, cultural practices, family decisions and everyday interactions directly affect the lives of persons with disabilities.
The organisation noted that traditional and religious leaders could help challenge harmful stereotypes, reduce stigma and discrimination, promote acceptance and encourage families to recognise the rights, abilities and contributions of persons with disabilities.
It added that Ward Heads and other community leaders were strategically positioned to identify barriers faced by persons with disabilities, connect individuals and families to available services and promote their participation in community affairs.
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V-PeSDI further emphasised the importance of recognising persons with disabilities not merely as beneficiaries of interventions, but as rights holders, active citizens, contributors to their communities and equal partners in development.
It said the approach was consistent with the principle of “Nothing About Us Without Us,” which calls for the meaningful participation of persons with disabilities in decisions and processes affecting their lives.
The organisation described the initiative as an important step towards building a more inclusive Kano State, stressing that meaningful progress requires collaboration among persons with disabilities, civil society organisations, government institutions, traditional authorities, religious leaders and community structures.
V-PeSDI said continued grassroots awareness would help promote the participation of persons with disabilities in education, employment, healthcare, governance, economic activities, climate action and community development.
The organisation also stressed that grassroots engagement would create local ownership of disability inclusion and make progress more sustainable by ensuring that inclusion becomes embedded in community life rather than remaining dependent on individual projects or external interventions.
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The Coordinator of V-PeSDI, Aftahana Dahiru Sarina, said the organisation would continue to advance community engagement, advocacy and awareness creation towards building a society where persons with disabilities enjoy equal rights, opportunities, participation and dignity.
He said the initiative was not simply about raising awareness, but also about changing attitudes, strengthening community ownership and removing barriers that prevent persons with disabilities from participating fully in society.