Uwezo Youth Empowerment

Challenging impairment to creating impact

In 2003 at only 19 years of age, BAHATI became visually impaired as a result of long term use of eye drops for his eye allergy. It was such a shock in his life and his family and after his rehabilitation, he had no chances of interacting with his youth counterparts in order to access peer support. This was as a result of isolation and stigma that characterized most youth with disabilities but also lacking a platform for the youth to share their own life experiences and aspirations. In 2010, he attended a 1 year training in social entrepreneurship in the Kerala South of India at the Kanthari Institute for Social Entrepreneurs. On his return, BAHATI inspired his friends and fellow youth with disabilities with his dream social venture and on January 15th 2013, UWEZO was established. UWEZO came into existence as the only cross disability organization established by the youth with disabilities. From then, the entire disability movement vibrated with new and young faces that were undercovered by stigma, prejudice and social exclusion. BAHATI is real visionary and changemaker and as a result of his initiative, many youth with disabilities have been mobilized and actively involved in various activities run by the organization and as well encouraged to take part in various national programmes implemented to promote the youth and economically develop communities.