2019 KFF Annual Conference
The 2019 Kadiwaku Foundation’s conference was organized from 27th to 31st of January 2020. The aim of the conference was to empower people with disability through entrepreneurship workshops and networking. In order to achieve above-mentioned goal, the following activities were organized:
1. Motivation sessions
Starting a business can be a path to financial stability for many people with disabilities. However, they are victimized as disabled people and face additional challenges such as harassment and communication barriers, which further impedes their chances to become business owners.
KFF invited successful entrepreneurs with and without disabilities and influential people who are well respected in the DR Congo to raise the motivation of young people with disabilities and help them overcome the fear of being victimized as a person living with a disability. Many examples of people who are succeeding in the market as entrepreneurs and also disabled were given. These included John Ntonta, who won the prestigious award ‘’Echoing Green Global Fellowship’’ and who continue to inspire a lot of people. The speaker commented that John has never viewed his disability as a disadvantage. Instead, he considers his disability as a tool to raise the motivation of his peers and it is one of his biggest advantages to succeed as an entrepreneur.
2. Workshops
The entrepreneurship workshops provided the attendees with the necessary skills to initiate businesses, make healthy and productive life choices and reinforce professional skills in the workplace. They also receive the tools and information they need to sustain and grow their businesses.
3. Networking
KFF continues to build an ecosystem of disabled-entrepreneurs and maintain an informal network of an informal alumni network who eventually will become employers and/or mentors to their peers. The disabled entrepreneurs and other local entrepreneurs we’re giving an opportunity to connect each other, to meet business experts and KFF’s staff to learn about project outcomes and to receive customized business support.
4. Marketplace
The disabled entrepreneurs and other local entrepreneurs were offered a great opportunity to use the exhibition space to meet prospective customers and market their products and services.
