Racheal Inegbedion leads baseline study for We Can Work programme in Nigeria

Racheal Inegbedion, a global disability rights advocate, has been appointed by the Participatory Development Associates (PDA) to lead the national baseline research project for the We Can Work (WCW) Programme in Nigeria. PDA is a social development, project management and advisory organisation based in Ghana and works across Sub-Saharan Africa. The study occurs in six states: Abia, Abuja, Borno, Imo, Kano, and Lagos. Inegbedion’s role in the study focuses on identifying opportunities and barriers to creating decent job opportunities for over 32 million young people with disabilities in Nigeria, which are often overlooked in workforce development.

The baseline study in Nigeria is part of a larger push by the We Can Work Programme, a programme supported by the MasterCard Foundation and the Light for the World, an organisation based in Austria that seeks to promote employment and entrepreneurial opportunities for one million youths with disabilities across seven African countries, including Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Senegal, Ghana, and Nigeria. Over the next eight years, the initiative will equip participants with the skills and resources to access dignified and fulfilling work.

The WCW programme baseline survey in Nigeria commenced in July 2024 and aims to be concluded in December 2024, seeking to foster dignified and fulfilling employment opportunities for youth with disabilities. This baseline study in Nigeria involves the use of community-engaged methodologies such as focus group discussions (FGDs) and surveys targeting youth with disabilities, caregivers, and in-depth interviews with employers of labour, policymakers, leaders of organizations for persons with disabilities, and community leaders.

Edem Agbe, Managing Director of Participatory Development Associates (PDA), announced the appointment of Inegbedion as the Principal Investigator for the We Can Work (WCW) baseline study in Nigeria. According to Agbe, “Racheal Inegbedion was appointed as the Principal Investigator for the We Can Work (WCW) baseline study in Nigeria because of her extensive research expertise and over a decade of noteworthy contributions toward enhancing employment, education, and entrepreneurship opportunities for persons with disabilities. Agbe emphasized that the study aims to ensure that WCW’s interventions effectively address the genuine needs and challenges faced by young people living with disabilities in the country. Racheal Inegbedion’s nonprofit, the Special Needs Initiative For Growth (SNIG), has been at the forefront of promoting inclusive education and employment policies in Nigeria and beyond.

In an interview with Racheal Inegbedion, she shared details about the selection and training process for field enumerators in the ongoing research project. She emphasized that the goal was to recruit and train individuals with the right skills and a strong understanding of disability issues to ensure an accurate and ethical study process. According to Racheal, she recruited the data enumerators to work with her on the research project through a competitive process. Out of approximately 500 applicants, only 35 were selected following a thorough interview and review process.
Inegbedion highlighted that 20% of the selected enumerators are persons with disabilities, while 50% are women, demonstrating a deliberate effort to promote diversity and representation in the research team. “This approach ensures that the data we gather reflects the realities on the ground and speaks for the people we are trying to reach,” Racheal explained. She stressed that having diverse voices within the team adds credibility to the study process.

The We Can Work programme baseline study is being carried out with the cooperation of the Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities (JONAPWD), Nigeria’s largest umbrella organization for persons with disabilities. The baseline study marks a significant milestone in Nigeria’s journey toward impacting the lives of millions of youth with disabilities and unlocking their potential to contribute to the workforce.

Tag: Racheal Inegbedion, Special Needs Initiative For Growth, MasterCard Foundation, Light for the World, Participatory Development Associates, JONAPWD, We Can Work.