Enabled Initiative

𝘾𝘼𝙋𝙏𝙄𝙊𝙉 𝙏𝙃𝙄𝙎. 👀

You press play.

Someone is speaking.

But there are no captions.

For many Deaf viewers, the conversation has already happened, without them.

That's why captions matter.

They make videos, films, social media content, online meetings, training sessions, public information and creative work more accessible.

And here's the thing:

Captions aren't decoration.
They're access.

Good captions help people understand what is being said — and, where relevant, important sounds and context too.

So if you're creating content:

🎥 Caption your videos.
📱 Caption your social media content.
🎤 Caption recorded events and conversations.
💻 Make your online content accessible.

Accessibility shouldn't be something we remember after publishing.

Build it into the creative process from the beginning.

Because inclusion means making sure people aren't simply invited to watch, they're able to fully experience and participate.



Nyambura Caterina

𝘾𝙊𝙈𝙈𝙐𝙉𝙄𝘾𝘼𝙏𝙄𝙊𝙉 𝙄𝙎 𝙈𝙊𝙍𝙀 𝙏𝙃𝘼𝙉 𝙎𝙊𝙐𝙉𝘿.

Communication doesn't always have to be heard to be understood.

It can happen through Kenyan Sign Language, facial expressions, gestures, writing, captions, visual cues and technology.

The important question isn't:

“How do I make this person communicate my way?”

It is:

“How can we communicate in a way that works for both of us?”

For Deaf people, access to language and communication is not a favour.

It is connected to participation, education, employment, information, relationships and human rights.

So this month, let's challenge ourselves to become better communicators.

Learn a sign.
Use captions.
Face the person you're communicating with.
Ask what communication support they prefer.
And don't assume that everyone communicates in the same way.

Different ways of communicating.
Equal right to be heard.

As the 2026 theme reminds us:

𝘿𝙚𝙘𝙡𝙖𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝘿𝙚𝙖𝙛 𝙋𝙚𝙤𝙥𝙡𝙚'𝙨 𝙃𝙪𝙢𝙖𝙣 𝙍𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙨.



Nyambura Caterina

𝘿𝙀𝘼𝙁 ≠ 𝙐𝙉𝘼𝘽𝙇𝙀

Let’s bust a myth.

Being Deaf does not mean being unable to create, work, lead, communicate, dream or participate.

Deaf people are artists.
Photographers.
Actors.
Filmmakers.
Designers.
Dancers.
Writers.
Entrepreneurs.
Leaders.

The barrier is not always the person.

Sometimes, the barrier is a world that has not made room for them.

When information is only spoken, when events have no interpretation, when videos have no captions, or when Deaf people are left out of decisions that affect them, access becomes the barrier.

This Deaf Awareness Month, let’s move beyond simply “raising awareness.”

Let’s recognise rights.
Let’s remove barriers.
Let’s create opportunities.

Because Deaf people don't need us to lower the bar.

They need a fair chance to reach it.

And in 2026, the call is clear:

𝘿𝙚𝙘𝙡𝙖𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝘿𝙚𝙖𝙛 𝙋𝙚𝙤𝙥𝙡𝙚'𝙨 𝙃𝙪𝙢𝙖𝙣 𝙍𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙨.



Nyambura Caterina

𝙒𝙃𝘼𝙏 𝙄𝙁 𝙎𝙐𝙄𝘾𝙄𝘿𝙀 𝙋𝙍𝙀𝙑𝙀𝙉𝙏𝙄𝙊𝙉 𝘼𝙇𝙎𝙊 𝙇𝙊𝙊𝙆𝙀𝘿 𝙇𝙄𝙆𝙀 𝙏𝙃𝙄𝙎?

A creative space where the person with a disability isn't treated as inspiration first and a human being second.

A workplace where asking for reasonable accommodation isn't seen as being difficult.

A rehearsal room where accessibility is considered from the beginning.

A community where rejection doesn't become humiliation.

A friend who checks in, and actually listens.

A mentor who says:

“Let's figure this out together.”

A family that doesn't dismiss mental-health struggles.

A society where persons with disabilities can access mental-health support without encountering another wall of stigma or inaccessibility.

A creative industry where talent is not constantly forced to fight for permission to exist.

This is part of prevention too.

We cannot talk about su***de prevention only when someone reaches breaking point.

We must also ask:

What kind of communities are we building?

Are people connected?

Are they included?

Are they heard?

Can they ask for help?

Can they fail without being discarded?

Can they create without constantly having to prove their worth?

At Enabled Initiative, we believe in empowering persons with disabilities to create, participate, lead and thrive.

Because belonging matters.

And sometimes, creating a community where people know they matter can be a powerful place to begin.

Enabled to Empower. 💛



Nyambura Caterina

𝙃𝙊𝙒 𝘿𝙊 𝙔𝙊𝙐 𝙎𝙏𝘼𝙍𝙏 𝘼 𝘾𝙊𝙉𝙑𝙀𝙍𝙎𝘼𝙏𝙄𝙊𝙉 𝙒𝙃𝙀𝙉 𝙎𝙊𝙈𝙀𝙊𝙉𝙀 𝘿𝙊𝙀𝙎𝙉'𝙏 𝙎𝙀𝙀𝙈 𝙊𝙆𝘼𝙔?

You don't need the perfect words.

You can start simply.

“How are you, really?”

Then listen.

You can say:

“I'm here with you.”

“You don't have to explain everything right now.”

“I'm glad you told me.”

“Would you like me to stay with you?”

“Can I help you find some support?”

And sometimes, you may need to ask directly about su***de when you are genuinely concerned about someone's safety.

Don't turn the conversation into an interrogation.

Don't immediately lecture.

Don't shame.

Don't say:

❌ “Other people have it worse.”
❌ “You have so much to be grateful for.”
❌ “Just be strong.”
❌ “Think about your family.”
❌ “You're a Christian/Muslim/strong person — you shouldn't feel this way.”

Instead:

Listen.
Take them seriously.
Stay present.
Help connect them with appropriate support.

You don't have to be a therapist to be a caring human being.

And you don't have to carry the situation alone either.

Start the conversation.

Sometimes, listening is where support begins.

***dePrevention

Nyambura Caterina

𝘽𝙀𝙃𝙄𝙉𝘿 𝙏𝙃𝙀 𝘼𝙍𝙏

We often see the finished work.

The photograph.
The song.
The painting.
The performance.
The film.
The poem.

But what about the person behind it?

A creative may be producing beautiful work while navigating things nobody sees.

Rejection.
Financial uncertainty.
Isolation.
Discrimination.
Pressure to prove themselves.
Inaccessible opportunities.
Family expectations.
Burnout.
Grief.
Loneliness.

And for creatives with disabilities, there can be another question underneath all of this:

“Will there ever be space for someone like me here?”

That is why inclusion is more than putting a person with a disability on a stage.

It means creating environments where they can:

belong.
earn.
create.
rest.
ask for help.
make mistakes.
try again.
and be human.

Su***de prevention is not only about what happens when someone reaches a crisis.

It is also about the communities we build before crisis happens.

Let's build creative spaces where people don't have to suffer silently to prove that they are strong.

Creativity needs access.
Creativity needs opportunity.
Creativity needs community.

And people need people.



Nyambura Caterina

𝙈𝙔𝙏𝙃 𝙫𝙨 𝙍𝙀𝘼𝙇𝙄𝙏𝙔

Let's change some of the narratives around su***de and disability.

MYTH:
“People with disabilities are naturally unhappy.”

REALITY:
Disability does not determine a person's happiness, worth or future.

MYTH:
“If someone is talented and successful, they can't be struggling.”

REALITY:
Achievement does not make a person immune to emotional distress.

MYTH:
“Talking about su***de puts the idea into someone's head.”

REALITY:
Compassionate, direct conversations can create an opportunity for someone to speak honestly and connect with support.

MYTH:
“People who talk about their struggles just want attention.”

REALITY:
A person expressing serious emotional distress deserves to be listened to and taken seriously, not dismissed or shamed.

MYTH:
“Being strong means handling everything alone.”

REALITY:
Sometimes strength looks like saying:

“I am not okay, and I need help.”

For creatives with disabilities, we need communities where people don't have to perform strength just to belong.

You can be talented.
You can be ambitious.
You can be resilient.
And you can still need support.

That is not failure.

That is being human.

𝘾𝙃𝘼𝙉𝙂𝙄𝙉𝙂 𝙏𝙃𝙀 𝙉𝘼𝙍𝙍𝘼𝙏𝙄𝙑𝙀 𝙊𝙉 𝙎𝙐𝙄𝘾𝙄𝘿𝙀

Sometimes, the most dangerous thing we can say is:

“They have everything to be happy about.”

We don't always know what someone is carrying.

A person can be talented and struggling.
Successful and exhausted.
Creative and hurting.
Surrounded by people and still feel alone.

And for persons with disabilities, there can be additional layers: discrimination, inaccessible spaces, exclusion, unemployment, financial pressure, isolation, stigma and the constant exhaustion of having to fight to be seen and included.

None of these experiences means that a person with a disability is destined to experience suicidal thoughts.

But they remind us why belonging, dignity, access and genuine support matter.

This September, Enabled Initiative is joining the conversation on su***de prevention.

Not with fear.
Not with judgment.
Not with silence.

With empathy.

Changing the narrative starts with changing how we listen.

Start the conversation.
Make space for the truth.
Take people seriously.
And remind one another that asking for help is not weakness.

💛

If you or someone you know is in immediate danger or thinking about su***de, please seek urgent support from a trusted person, qualified mental-health professional, emergency service or local crisis service.

***dePreventionDay

Nyambura Caterina

🌧️ 𝙀𝙉𝘼𝘽𝙇𝙀𝘿 & 𝙍𝙀𝘼𝘿𝙔 | 05

𝘾𝙃𝙄𝙇𝘿𝙍𝙀𝙉 𝙎𝙃𝙊𝙐𝙇𝘿 𝙉𝙊𝙏 𝙃𝘼𝙑𝙀 𝙏𝙊 𝙏𝘼𝙆𝙀 𝙍𝙄𝙎𝙆𝙎 𝙏𝙊 𝙂𝙀𝙏 𝙃𝙊𝙈𝙀.

Heavy rain can arrive quickly.

A route that was safe in the morning can look very different by afternoon.

That's why parents, caregivers, teachers and communities need to think beyond:

“Will school be open?”

Ask:

🏫 How will children get home if the weather changes suddenly?

🌊 Are there flooded roads, rivers, drainage channels or trenches along their route?

🚌 What happens if transport is disrupted?

📱 How will parents and caregivers receive school alerts?

🏠 Who will look after the child if school closes unexpectedly?

And please:

Never allow children to play in or cross moving floodwater.

Water can be deeper, faster and more dangerous than it appears.

Pay particular attention to children with disabilities, who may need additional time, communication support or assistance during an emergency.

A child who leaves home safely can still be at risk on the way back.

♿ 𝘼𝘾𝘾𝙀𝙎𝙎𝙄𝘽𝙄𝙇𝙄𝙏𝙔 𝘾𝙃𝙀𝘾𝙆

If your child has a disability, don't assume an emergency plan automatically includes them.

Ask:

“What specific support will my child need if normal routines suddenly change?”

Talk to the school.

Talk to caregivers.

Talk to your neighbours.

Make a plan before you need one.

🌍 Climate justice means protecting every child, and ensuring children with disabilities are never an afterthought in climate preparedness.

𝙒𝙀 𝙋𝙍𝙀𝙋𝘼𝙍𝙀 𝙏𝙊𝙂𝙀𝙏𝙃𝙀𝙍. 𝙒𝙀 𝙇𝙀𝘼𝙑𝙀 𝙉𝙊 𝙊𝙉𝙀 𝘽𝙀𝙃𝙄𝙉𝘿.



Nyambura Caterina

💻 𝙀𝙉𝘼𝘽𝙇𝙀𝘿 & 𝙍𝙀𝘼𝘿𝙔 | 04

𝘿𝙊𝙉'𝙏 𝙇𝙀𝙏 𝙏𝙃𝙀 𝙒𝙀𝘼𝙏𝙃𝙀𝙍 𝙎𝙏𝙊𝙋 𝙔𝙊𝙐𝙍 𝙇𝙄𝙑𝙀𝙇𝙄𝙃𝙊𝙊𝘿.

Climate-related disruptions don't only affect roads and buildings.

They can affect how we work.

So, if your work allows it, use this time to prepare for more flexible ways of working.

💻 Can some of your work be done remotely?

📱 Can you communicate with clients online?

📂 Have you backed up important documents?

🔌 Do you have a plan for keeping your devices charged?

📞 Do you have alternative ways to communicate if one channel fails?

🏠 Could you work from home, or another safer location, if travelling becomes difficult?

If you're an employer, don't wait until roads are flooded to start thinking about flexible working arrangements.

If you're a freelancer, creative, entrepreneur or small-business owner, think ahead about how you can keep your work going when movement is disrupted.

Preparedness is also economic resilience.

And for persons with disabilities, flexible and remote work can sometimes make the difference between being completely cut off from an opportunity and being able to continue participating.

♿ 𝘼𝘾𝘾𝙀𝙎𝙎𝙄𝘽𝙄𝙇𝙄𝙏𝙔 𝘾𝙃𝙀𝘾𝙆

Ask yourself:

“What part of my work can I move online before I am forced to?”

Start that conversation now.

Not when the rain has already started.

🌍 Climate action is also about protecting people's ability to work, earn and participate.



Nyambura Caterina