Juliana’s story

Juliana is the Executive Director of Voices of Women and Children with Disabilities in Ghana.

She is taking part in ADD’s Global Disability Leadership Pilot that kicked off with an in-person week of workshops between disability justice activists in Nairobi, Kenya, earlier this year.

She shares some of the challenges she faced as a person with a disability trying to pursue leadership at different stages and how she navigated these obstacles.

Challenges growing up.

“I was born with visual impairment and started school a bit late compared to the usual school starting age. This was so because there was no school to cater to the learning needs of the visually impaired in my community.”

In high school, I contested for the position of Senior Prefect, but I was denied because of my disability. They said a girl with visual impairment cannot lead the school. I went through the vetting process and scored the pass mark. However, I wasn’t allowed to campaign and be voted for.

“Where I come from, being born with a disability is considered a disgrace and a curse to the family. The community used this to hurl insults at me and my family.”

“I went through university and graduated with a first-class degree which earned me a scholarship to further my education. After completing my studies, finding employment as a lady with visual impairment in Ghana was very difficult. I submitted my job application documents to several entities, but I was turned down because of my visual impairment.”

Motivation to join the Leadership Academy.

“Growing up as a young girl with a disability in a rural community, I faced a lot of discrimination, stigma, and isolation. My passion is to support children and women who have been silenced and deprived of opportunities because of their disability. This inspired me to apply and join the leadership academy to gain more leadership skills to better represent and support my community.”

**Juliana participating at the Leadership Academy.**

“Most people assume that persons with disabilities are supposed to be at home being taken care of or on the streets begging. Breaking that barrier and coming out as a leader and an independent woman with disability which society doesn’t expect, has made me face discrimination. When I go out there, people tend to look down on me and make me feel like I don’t belong.”

Juliana’s leadership journey.

“When I enrolled to a school for the blind, I saw teachers with visual impairment and they were independent and actually doing well. This motivated me to work hard because I believed I can also make it.”

“While there, I took on leadership. I became a Girls Prefect and that’s where I started my advocacy and leadership journey until the university.”

“My voice was not heard. I was marginalised because of my disability. I realised taking on leadership and speaking up was the only way to be heard and to also enable me to speak up and support other girls and women with disabilities who haven’t had a chance to come out yet. This motivated me.”

“Taking on leadership has helped me overcome many challenges related to my disability. I’m now able to support my family and contribute to the community that initially looked down upon me.”

“I’m passionate about inspiring others through my experiences. As a leader, I want to inspire fellow people with disabilities to come out of their shadow and achieve their dreams and aspirations despite the obstacles they face.”

In future, I hope to change the lives of girls and women with disabilities whose voices have been marginalised by the society. I want to see them taking on leadership roles and positions. I want to see them be able to advocate for disability justice and speak up for themselves.

Impact of the Leadership Academy.

“Despite the fact that I’m already a leader, the leadership academy has taught me a lot. It has helped me understand my personality better through topics like self-awareness and personality development which were taught. The topic on leadership has taught and enlightened me a lot and know better when it comes to conflict resolution as a leader.”

“This leadership academy was a bit different. We learned both theoretical and practical aspects. The fact that we had a chance to physically visit other entities and organisations of persons with disabilities within Kenya and seeing what they are doing to embrace disability leadership was very encouraging and impressive.”

“Society needs to know that disability isn’t inability and persons with disability are capable of taking on leadership. The world should give us an opportunity to showcase our potential.”