Connecting the Dots
Our Connecting the Dots training and employment programme has transformed the lives of young people with disabilities in western Uganda.
During the initial four year-project, Connecting the Dots has delivered vocational training, transformed attitudes to disability and strengthened the work of organisations working with people with disabilities.
The project has provided vocational training for more than 300 young people with disabilities, and changed attitudes to disability by showing that people with disabilities can be valued, productive employees.
Find out more by reading our learning report, which focuses on what we’ve learned about changing attitudes, norms and behaviours within the project.
Two follow-up projects are building on the success of Connecting the Dots by increasing the number of participants and expanding to other areas of the country. You can also read an evaluation of these projects.
Stories from the programme
Charles’s story
“I grew up wanting to be an electrician, so nothing could divert me from my chosen career. I get good feedback from my customers.” Read Charles’s story
Isaac’s story
Mechanic Isaac has embraced the opportunity to train young people with disabilities: he has welcomed five interns at his business. Read Isaac’s story
The European Commission has funded the economic empowerment programme since 2012, and additional funding was awarded in August 2017 by the National Lottery Community Fund. This generous support has helped to transform the lives of hundreds of young people with disabilities in Uganda.
More from Connecting the Dots
Why tackling disability discrimination is key to employment projects
As part of our Connecting the Dots project in Uganda, we tested a new way of boosting employment rates by influencing communities, families and businesses to act more positively toward people with disabilities.
“As a parent, to see your child happy, is as much as you can ask”
Sightsavers and Sense International supported 14-year-old Hellen and her family from Masindi, Uganda, by helping them communicate with each other and support themselves financially.
Supporting youth with deafblindness in Uganda
Alice Nabbanja from Sense International explains how the organisation has been working with Sightsavers in Uganda supporting young people with deafblindness and complex disabilities.
