253 Women & Girls, 53 Men & Boys With Disabilities Receive Powerful Lifeline Support From Debbie Kauna Foundation

306 People With Disabilities empowred in Adamawa State

GULAK/MICHIKA, April 30, 2025 — A wave of hope is rising in the conflict-ravaged communities of Madagali and Michika in Adamawa State. This week, 306 women and girls with disabilities received tools that could redefine their futures — business start-up kits packed with life-sustaining potential.

The distribution marked the climax of a life-changing project implemented by the Debbie Kauna Foundation (DKF), with funding from the Nigeria Humanitarian Fund (NHF) and technical support from UN Women.

This wasn’t just a handout. It was a launchpad.

The beneficiaries had already spent the last three months immersed in practical, hands-on training. From tailoring to poultry farming, backyard gardening, rice processing, shoemaking, tie and dye, and small livestock management — each woman chose a trade that matched her passion and skill.

“I never thought I’d be in this position,” said Esther, a visually impaired participant from Madagali. “Before this training, I felt forgotten. Now, I am a business owner in the making.”

Also READ: DKF Empowers Over 700 Persons With Disabilities In Adamawa

At the heart of this project lies a powerful commitment to break down systemic barriers and give marginalized women equal access to opportunity.

Dr. Olaniyi Aderibigbe, UN Women Project Analyst, explained the broader vision during the distribution ceremony:

“Adamawa State was selected under NHF Allocation Strategy 3, specifically under the disability inclusion stream. Two LGAs — Michika and Madagali — were chosen because of the significant population of displaced and vulnerable women and girls with disabilities,” he said.

“The aim is to break barriers and increase access. This project promotes both protection and dignity while ensuring economic empowerment through vocational skills and start-up kits,” Dr. Aderibigbe continued. “We expect these women to turn their training into practical income-generating ventures — becoming financially independent and resilient enough to support not just themselves, but their families.”

He emphasized that although this initiative focuses on persons with disabilities, it forms part of a much broader drive to mainstream disability-focused projects into all humanitarian responses.

“We’re enforcing the ‘Leave No One Behind’ principle by ensuring that persons with disabilities are deliberately targeted in every humanitarian programming cycle,” Dr. Aderibigbe added.

The impact of the event was visible at the Local Government Secretariat in Gulak and the Civic Centre in Michika, where the two-day distribution exercise drew large crowds of supporters, traditional leaders, civil society actors, and public officials.

Mrs. Deborah Birdling Bubwa, founder of the Debbie Kauna Foundation, shared insights into the project’s development and its focus on empowering persons with disabilities:

“Debbie Kauna Foundation is an organization that advances the rights, privileges, and opportunities of persons with disabilities. On this project, funded by NHF under the secretarial leadership of UN Women, the empowerment of women and girls with disabilities towards full and effective participation and gender equality in Adamawa State, we focused on marketable skills,” she explained.

“These specific marketable skills were selected by our women with disabilities. During profiling, we asked each one what they could do without stress and what was marketable in their locality. Their choices guided our training programs,” Mrs. Bubwa added.

She further detailed the rigorous selection and training process:

“For six weeks, our team visited localities within the two local governments to identify beneficiaries based on specific criteria. After profiling, we provided entrepreneurship training with facilitators who covered their chosen skills and how to access loans. We partnered with microfinance institutions to offer loans at single-digit interest rates. The startup kits and account opening funds are grants from the Nigerian Humanitarian Fund.”

Also READ: UN Women Launches Economic Inclusion Initiative for Women with Disabilities in Adamawa

Mrs. Bubwa emphasized the importance of ongoing support:

“Each beneficiary was paired with a mentor. Over the past three months, they’ve been mentored in their chosen skills to sustain their businesses. These mentors will continue to support them post-distribution, ensuring they overcome any challenges.”

She concluded by highlighting the foundation’s mission:

“Our goal is to empower women and girls with disabilities so they can have a stabilized way of life like everyone else. We aim to remove them from the streets and integrate them into their communities as active participants in decision-making processes.”

Several community leaders who spoke during the ceremonies called for the scaling up of the program across other LGAs in the state.

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“We are witnessing something extraordinary — not just because people received kits, but because they now have a path forward,” said Chief James Bitrus, a traditional leader in Michika. “This model should be replicated everywhere.”

Indeed, the voices of change are not just loud — they are determined.

UN Women’s involvement has also drawn global attention to the project. Their support aligns with broader efforts to localize gender equality through practical empowerment in conflict-affected regions.

“This is what inclusion looks like,” remarked a representative of the UN agency during the Michika event. “Not just policies, but action. Real people, real change.”

For the beneficiaries, it’s a fresh start. For the community, it’s a reminder that investing in marginalized voices yields powerful returns.

DKF urged other stakeholders — governmental and private — to join hands in scaling such programs. “There are hundreds more waiting for a chance,” said Kauna. “This is just the beginning.”

As the sun set over Michika on the second day of the event, beneficiaries cradled their kits with pride. Their eyes held new dreams — of independence, of growth, and of finally being seen.

As evening fell over Michika and the final kits were handed out, the women cradled them like newborn dreams. For some, it was their first step into business. For others, it was their first taste of financial freedom.

What’s certain is this: The road ahead will no longer be walked alone.