The organizations below are members of MIUSA's Excellence in Development and Disability Inclusion (EDDI) initiative, committed to inclusion and diversity both in the work that they do and in their teams. Because more people with disabilities are needed in international development careers, we highly encourage people with disabilities to explore their careers pages to find information about current jobs, internships, fellowships and other opportunities in the United States and around the world.
“When l return to Ghana l want to teach people about the disability laws practiced in the United States. l want people with and without disabilities in Ghana to be equal.” - Tijani Bukari
During our youth, what do we think about regarding our country, its citizens, and our own impact on society? Do we even think about these things at all? A strong sense of curiosity about the world led Tijani Bukari, a Deaf student from Ghana, to participate in the Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study (YES) program sponsored by the U.S. Department of State.
"WILD has succeeded in raising strong and dynamic women who are assertive enough to engage their community leaders to promote the issues of women and girls with disabilities in their countries. I am such an example; my level of confidence has tripled since WILD."
- Ekaete Umoh, WILD Alumna from Nigeria
To date more than 220 women with disabilities from over 83 countries have participated in MIUSA's International WILD program.
“We should not wait for what people will do for us, but we should try to create impact and make our contributions felt in society.”
– WILD-Uganda participant
Who says your exchange experience has to end when you get home? We know that going abroad - for study, volunteerism, professional exchange and more - has a lasting impact on Deaf and disabled people's lives in many ways.
Did it have an impact on you? Create your own #LifeAfterExchange digital postcard to commemorate your time abroad and celebrate what it's helped you accomplish.
If you attend conferences or host events related either to the disability community or study abroad field, why not bring the topic of people with disabilities going abroad into the fore? Let us get you started with Powerpoint slides ready to insert into your next presentation.
The slides cover:
Bringing together 21 women with diverse disabilities in the capital of Bangladesh, Ms. Desai shared leadership principles and practical skills to empower women with disabilities and build a network for disability advocacy. Each participant was selected based on her commitment to pursuing higher education and leadership positions in the community.
In Bangladesh, the belief still remains that women with disabilities should stay sheltered in their homes and many young women therefore have limited access to and awareness of educational and community resources.
Find out which organizations have recruited the most participants with disabilities to the Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study program!
Did you know that between 2007-2016, nearly half of all students with disabilities selected for the YES program have been Deaf? Or that almost 60% of FLEX students with disabilities have a physical disability?
Students with a physical disability, such as Cerebral Palsy and Short Stature, make up 40% of the more than 250 students with disabilities who have participated in the FLEX and YES programs since 2007. Blind and low vision students make up the next largest category of students with disabilities.
More than a dozen youth exchange organizations place FLEX and YES students with and without disabilities in U.S. host communities each year. Those that have placed the most students with disabilities? AFS USA, Program of Academic Exchange (PAX) and ASSE!
Find infographics about the percentage of students with disabilities placed at specialized vs. mainstream schools.
Which U.S. states have hosted the most students with disabilities? If you guessed states in the Midwest and Upper Midwest, you're right! Altogether, students with disabilities have been hosted in 43 U.S. states and the District of Columbia over the last ten years.
MIUSA invites you to explore disability inclusion in the Future Leaders Exchange (FLEX) and Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study (YES) programs, 2007-2016.
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