CONNECTING EMPLOYERS WITH YOUNG PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES
In Commemoration of the International Day of People with Disabilities, Light for the World Uganda held its first-ever Career Fair, which brought together job seekers with disabilities and potential employers in the private sector. This was done in partnership with the Federation of Uganda Employers under the Uganda Business Development Network. The career fair connected 30 job seekers with disabilities with employers who are committed to having more diversity in their teams and making their workplaces more disability-inclusive.
During the Career Fair, 15 organisations and companies signed to join the UBDN. They include National Water and Sewerage Corporation, Terrain Plant, Riley packaging Ltd, Q-Sourcing and Centenary Rural Development Bank, bringing the total membership to 17, from 8 founding members.
Other companies in attendance included Stanbic bank, NFT Consult, Human Resource Managers’ Association of Uganda, Uganda Breweries Ltd, Footsteps Furniture, Standard Chartered bank, Endiro, Graphic Systems, GIZ, Humanity and Inclusion, Cheshire Services Uganda.
Out of the 30 people with disabilities in attendance and the interviews carried out:
- 1 person was scouted by GIZ and interviewed for work experience placement
- 1 had an Interview with Centenary Rural Development Bank
- 1 was interviewed and later hired at Endiro Sign language Café,
- 6 were scouted by Uganda Breweries Limited, and interviews are ongoing
- At least 20 will be connected to other work experience placement
2 people with disabilities undergo an interview with Q-Sourcing, a member company of the UBDN. © Erika Bojarczuk/LFTW
“I graduated from Kyambogo University in 2018, but I have faced a challenge in finding a job. Employers see me as a vulnerable person who cannot do anything, they think I won’t deliver, or I will fail their organization. They write me off yet I could be even better than those that can see. My major disability is my eyesight, but my brain is okay. I also dream of having my job one day; I have desires in life, I studied, and I am professional. I hope this career Fair shows many employers that people with disabilities can also deliver results at the workplace”
Norah Nabatanzi.
“When I graduated in 2011, I secured a job and my contract was for two years. Since then, getting a job has become difficult for me. I now run my own business in Kawempe dealing in Computers and Research since I am a developer and a financial specialist. We find a lot of challenges to get jobs because access to some workstations is very hard and then there is discrimination by most employers. I am still hopeful that employers will let go of the biases towards us and realise that we can also work efficiently and effectively.”
Tony Achol, graduate from Makerere University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Government Studies and a Master’s degree in Business Administration.
ABOUT THE UBDN
The Uganda Business and Disability Network (UBDN) is an employer-led network in Uganda that works towards creating workplaces and company culture that is respectful and inclusive towards persons with disabilities, promoting the hiring, retention and professional development of persons with disabilities. The UBDN was formed in support of the ILO’s Global Business and Disability Network (GBDN).
UBDN’s core mandate is to provide an opportunity for employers to develop their confidence in including persons with disabilities, sharing experiences and being role models on inclusive employment, social inclusion and support sustainable development for employers.
