LAGOS/Nigeria: The Founder of the Friends of the Deaf International Foundation (FDF), Mrs. Funmilola Arike Ogunro, has applauded the partnership between MTN Foundation and CleanAce Academy, describing the collaboration as a transformative initiative that will expand economic opportunities and promote greater inclusion for persons with disabilities in Nigeria.
Speaking at a press conference in Lagos to announce the Inclusive Fabricare Empowerment Training Programme for Deaf persons, Ogunro said the initiative represents a significant investment in human capital and a practical demonstration of how strategic partnerships can improve the lives of vulnerable groups through skills acquisition and entrepreneurship.
According to her, the programme will equip 30 Deaf participants with professional training in fabric care services, providing them with practical vocational skills, entrepreneurial knowledge and the tools required to establish sustainable livelihoods. She noted that beyond vocational training, the initiative is designed to foster financial independence, reduce unemployment and strengthen the economic participation of persons with disabilities.
Ogunro stressed that persons with disabilities should no longer be viewed through the prism of charity but recognised as capable individuals with valuable talents and the capacity to contribute meaningfully to national development.
“Persons with disabilities are not charity cases. They have talents, skills and the capacity to contribute significantly to national development,” she said.
She urged more corporate organisations to embrace disability inclusion by creating equal opportunities in employment, entrepreneurship and skills development, noting that inclusive economic policies would ultimately strengthen national growth and social cohesion.
The FDF founder commended CleanAce Academy for its sustained commitment to empowering the Deaf community through vocational education, observing that the academy has successfully trained more than six cohorts of Deaf participants under its Inclusive Fabricare Empowerment Programme. She said the institution has continued to provide employability and entrepreneurial skills tailored to the expanding fabric care industry, thereby opening new pathways to self-reliance for beneficiaries.
Ogunro also praised MTN Foundation for supporting programmes that promote inclusion, dignity and economic empowerment for persons with disabilities, expressing confidence that the partnership would deliver lasting socio-economic benefits while serving as a model for similar interventions across the country.
Highlighting the contributions of the Friends of the Deaf International Foundation to disability advocacy, she disclosed that the organisation has trained more than 6,000 individuals in Basic Sign Language over the past nine years, while also supporting children with disabilities through educational interventions, advocacy campaigns and empowerment programmes aimed at expanding access to opportunities.
She reiterated that Nigeria’s quest for sustainable development would remain incomplete unless persons with disabilities are fully integrated into national development efforts, calling on both public and private institutions to deepen their commitment to inclusive policies and programmes.
Representatives of the Lagos State Office for Disability Affairs (LASODA), the Association of Sign Language Interpreters of Nigeria (ASLIN), disability rights advocates and other stakeholders attended the event. They expressed optimism that the MTN Foundation-CleanAce Academy collaboration would set a new benchmark for disability inclusion and inspire broader partnerships dedicated to empowering persons with disabilities across Nigeria.
