Rebuilding Hope on Wheels Initiatives

02/09/2026

September is Spinal Cord Injury Awareness Month.

25/05/2026

Join us tomorrow for a thought-provoking conversation on “Ensuring Inclusive Physical Infrastructure (Health, Transport, Recreation).” Together, we will explore the urgent need to move beyond tokenistic accessibility efforts toward building a Nigeria where infrastructure systems are intentionally designed to guarantee full and meaningful inclusion for persons with disabilities.

Speakers:
🔹 Dr. Amina Audu Mina Sarauniya: Board Member, Spinal Cord Injuries Association of Nigeria (SCIAN)
🔹 Rilwan Mohammed : President, National Association of Persons with Physical Disabilities (NAPWPD)

Date: Tuesday, 26th May 2026
Time: 2:00 PM

Zoom Details:
🔹Meeting ID: 854 8843 9980
🔹Passcode: 123456

🔹Watch live on Facebook: Jonapwd Jonapwd

Accessibility must be intentional, practical, and enforceable, not a shelf document.

Disability Rights Fund

25/05/2026

Disability should never serve as an excuse for bad behavior, disrespect, dishonesty, manipulation, or harming others. While individuals with disabilities face genuine challenges such as discrimination, pain, exclusion, poverty, emotional stress, and inaccessible environments, these struggles do not diminish their personal responsibility, character, or accountability.

Every human being—disabled or not—makes choices shaped by their upbringing, attitude, emotional maturity, values, and self-control. A person may have a disability, but their behavior can still reflect kindness, patience, honesty, humility, respect, and discipline. Similarly, negative traits such as arrogance, abuse, jealousy, gossip, irresponsibility, or toxicity should not be excused simply because someone has a disability.

Society often hesitates to correct individuals with disabilities out of pity or fear of being perceived as insensitive. However, true inclusion means recognizing that people with disabilities are complete human beings who are capable of growth, learning, accountability, and self-improvement. Disability is a condition—it is not a license for poor character.

It is also important for individuals with disabilities to understand that people may support them due to their resilience, intelligence, leadership, or positive attitude—not solely out of sympathy. When someone consistently behaves poorly and blames their disability for everything, it can damage relationships, advocacy efforts, friendships, workplaces, and the public perception of disability communities.

At the same time, this discussion must be approached with empathy. Certain behaviors may be influenced by trauma, depression, chronic pain, rejection, or years of discrimination. These experiences are real and should not be dismissed. However, healing, self-awareness, counseling, mentorship, faith, and emotional growth can help individuals distinguish their pain from harmful behavior.

Disability advocacy should therefore emphasize both rights and responsibilities. Individuals with disabilities deserve dignity, accessibility, equal opportunities, love, education, healthcare, and inclusion. Yet, they must also work towards building good character, emotional intelligence, respect for others, and accountability for their actions.

In the end, while disability may affect the body, mobility, senses, or environment, character remains a personal responsibility.

21/05/2026

Persons with spinal cord injuries (SCI) in Nigeria are increasingly dying from preventable complications due to inadequate rehabilitation services, shortage of trained professionals, unaffordable medical supplies, and weak long-term healthcare support systems.

Many people survive accidents, gunshot injuries, falls, and insecurity-related trauma, only to later lose their lives to pressure sores, infections, kidney complications, respiratory conditions, and other preventable medical issues.

For years, peer supporters and disability organizations have stepped in to fill the gap left by weak rehabilitation systems. We have provided emotional support, survival guidance, mentorship, and hope to newly injured persons across Nigeria. We have given our hands and shoulders for others to lean on.

But peer support alone cannot save lives.

Peer supporters are not rehabilitation physicians, nurses, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, psychologists, wound-care specialists, or urologists. We cannot prescribe medication, conduct medical evaluations, manage severe complications, or replace specialized rehabilitation services.

Some of our members followed recommended precautions and routines, yet still died because the professional medical care, surgeries, rehabilitation services, and equipment they needed were unavailable or unaffordable.

Persons with spinal cord injuries require continuous access to catheters, medications, pressure-relief cushions and mattresses, wheelchairs, physiotherapy, wound care, assistive devices, and specialized rehabilitation support.

Survival after spinal cord injury should not depend solely on family sacrifice, peer goodwill, or personal resilience. SCI survivors need trained professionals and functioning rehabilitation systems to survive and reintegrate into society with dignity.

We therefore call on the National Health Insurance Authority, the Federal Ministry of Health, state governments, hospitals, and development partners to urgently expand health insurance coverage for spinal cord injury rehabilitation, surgeries, medical supplies, assistive devices, and long-term care support.

Health insurance coverage should not end after emergency treatment. Rehabilitation and reintegration are also part of survival.

Investing in spinal cord injury rehabilitation is not charity. It is healthcare, dignity, inclusion, and nation-building.

“A person should not survive a spinal cord injury only to die from preventable complications caused by lack of rehabilitation and support.”

30/03/2026

I am truly honored and grateful to have been selected as a speaker to share our peer support journey.

Speaker Announcement — Amina Audu

We are excited to welcome Amina Audu as a speaker at the ISCoS Regional Symposium 5, held 29–30 April 2026 at the Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons.

Amina will present on:
Peer support — highlighting the crucial role of community, shared experience, and empowerment in rehabilitation.

Join us for meaningful discussions and knowledge exchange.

See the full programme:
https://iscossymposia5.org/programme/

17/03/2026

Hello colleagues,

Following the recent recognition of the disability caucus at the UNFCCC, we are happy to organise this webinar
*Titled* : From Recognition to Reality, what the UNFCCC recognition means for young PWDs in Africa.

Come to learn more about the disability caucus and share with any young PWDs you know to join in.

*Date* : Wednesday 18th March 2026
*Time* : 12PM WAT/ 2PM EAT
*Zoom link:*
https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/VvgjPPaoRoG-qcZLqIzcgQ

See you.

01/03/2026

The Disability Caucus has been officially recognised, marking a historic milestone for inclusive global climate governance.

For the first time, persons with disabilities and their representative organisations have a formally acknowledged platform within the climate negotiations to ensure their voices are heard and meaningfully integrated into policies, plans and frameworks that directly affect their lives and communities. Persons with disabilities are disproportionately affected by climate impacts, yet their perspectives have long been overlooked in adaptation, mitigation, and resilience strategies.

While the United Nations Framework for Climate Change (UNFCC) has provided opportunity over the years for the disability movement to speak and contribute to discussions, the establishment and recognition of a Disability Caucus as an Informal Group of stakeholders active within the UNFCCC process firmly signals the long-overdue commitment to equity, accessibility and human rights at the heart of climate policy. It’s a breakthrough that reflects years of sustained advocacy by disability rights organisations and allies who have insisted that climate justice must include everyone.

The recognition of a Disability Caucus, which comes after continued effort by disability grassroots activists stretching back nine years from COP 21, also strengthens the global disability movement by providing a coordinated space for engagement, capacity-building, and unified advocacy within technical climate processes. It affirms that effective climate action requires solutions designed with – and informed by – the lived experiences of persons with disabilities. The current caucus comprises more than 120 organisations, 12 of which are already UNFCCC-accredited. As the world faces escalating climate challenges, embedding disability perspectives based on their experience will lead to responses that are more accessible, sustainable and just.


This announcement is not the end of the road: as a Caucus, everyone will continue working towards full Constituency status with UNFCCC to ensure persons with disabilities are given equal rights and opportunities available to full constituencies within the negotiation process.


What has happened this week is a huge victory for persons with disabilities and a profound step forward for global climate justice and for creating a climate agenda shaped by and accountable to all.

“This milestone proves that inclusive climate action is not optional; it is essential for a just and resilient world.” Sh*taye Astawes, Advocacy Director, African Disability Forum - ADF

“This recognition sends a clear message: climate justice must include persons with disabilities at every decision-making table.” Maulani Rotinsulu, Director, ASEAN Disability Forum.

"For the first time, our lived experiences are not an afterthought - they are shaping the future of global climate policy.” Juan Ángel De Gouveia, President, RIADIS

“In the Pacific, where climate impacts are already at our doorstep, this recognition will help ensure that persons with disabilities are part of the solutions protecting our islands and our future.” Damian Griffis, Co-Chair, Pacific Disability Forum

CBM UK Handicap International - Humanity & Inclusion Disability Rights Fund World Blind Union

01/03/2026

Today is the day! 🌍♿
International Wheelchair Day is here, and we’ve already been inspired by the incredible stories being shared and the exciting events taking place across the globe.

From community gatherings to sports events and outreach initiatives, today is a celebration of mobility, inclusion, and the impact of appropriate wheelchair provision worldwide.

If you’d like to see what events are happening near you, visit our website to explore what’s taking place in your region. And if you’re hosting or attending an event today, don’t forget to tag us in your posts, we’d love to see and share the momentum building around the world.

Together, we’re growing an global movement for access, inclusion, and impact.

28/02/2026

https://bit.ly/knowyourrightdisabilityact

25/12/2025

Empowering Economic Growth Through Inclusion

The African Inclusive Economic Summit for Persons with Disabilities is a transformative platform dedicated to fostering economic inclusiveness and reducing inequality. We bring together leaders, policymakers,