Location: UGANDA
In Uganda, a bold initiative is transforming how young people with disabilities engage in civic life. Led by changemaker Josephine Namirimu, Empowering Youth Advocates with Disabilities is a leadership boot camp designed to equip youth with the confidence, skills, and knowledge to become self-advocates and community leaders. Through an immersive week of training, participants are learning to raise their voices, influence policy, and pave the way for a more inclusive future.
The Project
In Uganda, young people with disabilities face multiple layers of discrimination that hinder their full participation in civic life. To address this, Josephine Namirimu launched Empowering Youth Advocates with Disabilities: Boot Camp for Inclusive Civic Participation, a one-week residential leadership training program that brought together 20 youth self-advocates – 16 girls and 4 boys – aged 15 to 24. Representing diverse disability categories and educational backgrounds, these young participants immersed themselves in sessions on leadership, disability rights, advocacy, and self-esteem building. With a strong emphasis on intersectionality, the camp explored how various forms of discrimination intersect to impact youth involvement in governance. Through expert-led workshops, peer learning, and real-life case studies, each participant left the boot camp equipped not only with knowledge but with a personal action plan to implement in their own community.
The Impact of the Seed Grant
With a TPP seed grant, Josephine was able to fully fund the weeklong boot camp, covering everything from vegan meals and natural juices to local travel allowances and interpreter services to ensure full inclusion. The grant also supported transport for facilitators, many of whom had disabilities themselves, as well as venue needs and eco-friendly cooking gas. More than just financial aid, the grant bridged vital funding gaps that would have otherwise stalled the project. Thanks to this support, all 20 youth emerged as empowered self-advocates and peer mentors, ready to speak up, engage policymakers, and drive inclusive change across Uganda.
The Future
Josephine is committed to making the boot camp an annual event. She has already reached the final stages of consideration for additional funding from ADD International’s Justice Fund for Women and is actively pursuing new partnerships to sustain and grow the initiative. Plans are underway to include past participants as facilitators in future camps, further reinforcing a community-based model of growth and sustainability. As the project evolves, it will continue to promote healthy, affordable vegan diets, share insights with partners, and use lessons learned to shape future programs. With each camp, the ripple effect of empowered youth grows stronger, creating a more inclusive and just society.
I extend my sincere appreciation to The Pollination Project (TPP) community, with special gratitude to the technical team for their vital support in reviewing and strengthening my proposal. Their guidance empowered me and gave me the opportunity to bring my vision to life. Through this experience, I also had my first encounter with a vegan diet, which opened my eyes to its benefits. With the help of the TPP website and shared resources, I gained a deeper understanding of ethical and compassionate living.
Josephine Namirimu
Josephine Namirimu is a passionate Ugandan disability rights advocate and changemaker. A wheelchair user since the age of three, she brings both lived experience and academic expertise to her work, holding a Master’s degree in Human Rights and a Bachelor’s in Business Administration from Makerere University. Josephine is the founder of EmpowerHER disABILITY Network, a budding Community-Based Organization dedicated to promoting intersectionality in disability advocacy and social programming.
With a strong background in strategic advocacy, she previously served as Communications and Advocacy Officer at Cheshire Services Uganda, where she led impactful campaigns for disability inclusion. Currently, she serves as Secretary to the National Inclusive Education Policy Advocacy Committee under Uganda’s Ministry of Education and Sports. Josephine’s work is deeply inspired by her own journey navigating stigma and systemic barriers as a woman with a disability in a patriarchal society, experiences that continue to fuel her commitment to building a more just and inclusive world.
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