A joint field mission by the Ethiopian Center for Disability and Development (ECDD) and Christian Blind Mission (CBM) country office and CBM Global highlighted the progress of youth with intellectual disabilities who recently completed a three-month candle-production vocational training at Fikir Ethiopian National Association on Intellectual Disabilities (FENAID) in Addis Ababa.
“Inclusive partnerships play an essential role in strengthening community-based economic opportunities for persons with disabilities,” said Mr. Legassu Leulseged, ECDD Program Director, during the visit.
Implemented under the RISE Project, funded by the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS) through CBM, the Community-Based Training (CBT) initiative aims to strengthen vocational skills and create sustainable livelihood opportunities for youth with intellectual disabilities and their primary caregivers.
The field mission brought together representatives from ECDD, CBM, Fikir Ethiopian National Association on Intellectual Disabilities (FENAID), trainees, and caregivers to review the outcomes of the training, exchange experiences, and discuss opportunities for applying the skills acquired.
The trainees also demonstrated their candle-production skills through a practical session, showcasing their readiness to explore entrepreneurship and other livelihood opportunities.
The mission concluded with a joint reflection on the field observations and reaffirmed the partners’ commitment to advancing disability-inclusive vocational training, entrepreneurship, and economic empowerment.
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