• A group of women in a village meeting © CBM

Inclusion breaks the cycle of poverty and disability

Improving livelihood opportunities for persons with disabilities is essential for them to overcome the effects of poverty and live a fulfilled life. Our projects create opportunities that include persons with disabilities, provide job training, and support communities to grow together.

© CBM/Happuc
Tailor Edwige Nyakpo was supported by a joint livelihood project of CBM and FETAPH (La Fédération Togolaise des associations de Personnes Handicapées) that is funded by BMZ.

Persons with disabilities are overrepresented among those in extreme poverty and are often excluded from livelihood opportunities. They can have difficulties joining the workforce due to lack of adequate training, support and assets, are twice as likely to live in poverty and have more difficulties gaining access to resources such as land and credit. 

Improving livelihood opportunities for persons with disabilities and their families is essential for them to overcome the effects of poverty and to lead a fulfilled life. Our livelihood projects, delivered by local partners, support persons with disabilities, their households and communities to earn a living in an independent and sustainable way. We work with communities to develop savings groups, promote sustainable agriculture, develop business and entrepreneurial skills, and lobby for inclusive employment practices.

Our work in livelihoods is part of CBM’s Community Based Inclusive Development (CBID) initiative. CBID is a way of working that ensures persons with disabilities are respected in their communities on an equal basis, in all areas of life.

Our approach

Four people standing in last green rice field.

Learn more about Community-based inclusive development

Our livelihoods work with our partners includes:

  • Developing inclusive rural and urban employment and income generation opportunities, that also address social barriers, stigma and discrimination
  • Establishing savings groups, which are combined with complementary support services and other livelihood resilience-building efforts that support self-help groups to increase their access to financial services
  • Providing skills development and vocational training to diversify and improve household incomes.
  • Enhancing local capabilities to develop sustainable agricultural production to improve farmers’ food security and incomes.
  • Promote inclusive local market access and value-chain development to build more sustainable livelihoods.

Our work in 2023

  • 87,000 persons with disabilities benefited from training, improved access to the labour market, or access to financial services

  • 34,932 persons accessed financial services from informal organisations such as self-help groups, savings groups or VSLAs

  • 17,748 persons obtained employment through our projects

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