The Empower to Thrive Development Initiative (ETTDI) has paid an advocacy visit to the Centre for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD) in Abuja to introduce its new project, Empower Her Ability, and to seek areas of collaboration.
The visit took place on September 24, 2025. It was led by ETTDI’s Programme Manager, Dr. Olusola Adeoye, who was joined by the Programme Assistant, Ms. Saka Blessing. They were received by CCD’s Acting Director, Mr. Godwin Unumeri, Monitoring and Evaluation Officer, Mrs. Peace Ezekiel, and Mr. Philip Danladi.
Dr. Adeoye explained that Empower Her Ability is a business incubator and accelerator for women with disabilities in the FCT. He said the programme, launched in June with support from the French Embassy, provides training in entrepreneurship, mentorship, access to loans and grants, and policy dialogues.
“We want to build relationships and learn from established organisations like CCD. Disability inclusion is a field that needs partnership and collective effort,” he said.
Responding, Mrs. Ezekiel said CCD welcomes the partnership. “Disability inclusion is complex. No single organisation can do it alone. We need to work together to make real impact,” she said.
Mr. Unumeri also praised ETTDI for the initiative. “No organisation can succeed in isolation. Sustained collaboration is the way to build stronger institutions and greater impact,” he said.
The meeting also discussed challenges, including how women with disabilities without formal education are often excluded from empowerment programmes. Dr. Adeoye said the pilot phase focused on educated women for effective training but promised that future phases would cover uneducated women as well.
The visit ended with both organisations agreeing to work closely, starting with a policy dialogue scheduled for September 25, 2025, where the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Disability Matters was expected as keynote speaker.