Ability Plus Initiative

SIGN LANGUAGE FRIDAY | TODAY'S SIGN: INDEPENDENT

TODAY'S WORD: INDEPENDENT

Being independent does not mean doing everything alone.
It means having the choice, confidence, support, and opportunity to make decisions and participate fully in society.
For persons with disabilities, independence can be supported through accessible environments, inclusive education, employment opportunities, assistive technology, and respectful support.

THE INCLUSION MESSAGE
Don't assume what someone can or cannot do.
Give people the opportunity to try, make choices, learn, grow, and participate.
Inclusion means creating opportunities, not limitations.
YOUR TURN

Do you know the Nigerian Sign Language sign for INDEPENDENT?

Practice today's sign and share it with someone who is learning sign language.

What word should we learn next Friday?
Together, we are touching lives and promoting inclusion.

WEDNESDAY DEBATE | LET'S TALK INCLUSION

IS NIGERIA DOING ENOUGH TO ENFORCE DISABILITY RIGHTS, OR ARE DISABILITY LAWS MOSTLY ON PAPER?

Nigeria has laws and policies intended to protect the rights of persons with disabilities. But having laws is one thing; ensuring that those rights are respected and enforced in everyday life is another.
From accessibility in public spaces to education, employment, transportation, healthcare, and equal participation, how much progress are we really seeing?

THE BIG QUESTION
Are disability rights being effectively enforced in Nigeria, or is there still a major gap between what the law says and what people experience?
YOUR TAKE
YES, Nigeria is making meaningful progress
or
NO, enforcement is still largely inadequate
Don't just choose a side. Tell us what informs your view.
Have you witnessed a situation where disability rights were respected or ignored? Share your experience or an example in the comments.
Let's have a real conversation about what is working, what is not, and what needs to change.
Together, we are touching lives and promoting inclusion.

DON'T LET OTHER PEOPLE'S LIMITS BECOME YOUR LIMITS.

Sometimes, people will tell you what you cannot do because they only see the barriers in front of you.

But your future is bigger than someone else's assumptions.

Keep learning.
Keep growing.
Keep showing up.
Keep believing in what you can become.

Your disability may be part of your story, but it does not have to define your destination.

YOUR TURN

What is one thing you refuse to let anyone convince you that you cannot achieve?

Share it in the comments. Your answer might inspire someone else today.

Together, we are touching lives and promoting inclusion.

SIGN LANGUAGE FRIDAY | TODAY'S SIGN: COURAGE

Today's Word: COURAGE
Courage means choosing to keep going, even when the journey is difficult.
For persons with disabilities, courage can mean speaking up for your rights, pursuing your dreams, asking for support, challenging barriers, and refusing to let society's assumptions define your possibilities.
Learning sign language is also a step toward inclusion.
HOW TO SIGN IT
Use the sign demonstrated in today's graphic and practice it several times.

YOUR TURN:
Can you make the sign for COURAGE?

Record yourself practicing and share it with someone. Let's make communication more accessible, one sign at a time.

Together, we are touching lives and promoting inclusion.

WEDNESDAY DEBATE | LET'S TALK INCLUSION

CAN WE TRULY CALL NIGERIA INCLUSIVE IF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES ARE STILL LEFT OUT OF DECISION-MAKING?

Inclusion is not only about creating accessible spaces or providing opportunities. It also means ensuring that persons with disabilities have a voice in the decisions that affect their lives.
From education and employment to healthcare, accessibility, public services, and community development, shouldn't the people directly affected be part of the conversation?

THE BIG QUESTION:
Can there be true inclusion without meaningful representation?
YES OR NO?

Tell us your opinion in the comments and, most importantly, tell us why.

Together, we are touching lives and promoting inclusion.

Sometimes the journey may feel slow. You may face barriers, rejection, or people who doubt your abilities.
But where you are today is not where you have to remain.
Keep learning. Keep trying. Keep believing in your potential. Every small step can move you closer to the future you want.
Disability does not cancel possibility. With opportunity, support, and determination, people can achieve great things.
What is one goal you are determined to achieve, no matter how long it takes?
Tell us in the comments and encourage someone else to keep moving forward.
Together, we are touching lives and promoting inclusion.

We proudly celebrate Mrs. Taibat Janet Fasakin, Executive Director of Ability Plus Initiative (API), for receiving the Inclusive Education and Empowerment Champion Award from the Abuja Association of the Deaf - AAD during the commemoration of 2026 International Youth Day and Deaf Awareness Month.

This honour recognizes her outstanding commitment to the education, empowerment, and inclusion of Deaf persons and children with special needs, as well as her dedicated advocacy for Deaf women.

A well-deserved recognition for a woman who continues to champion inclusion and create opportunities for a more accessible society.

Congratulations, Queen Taibat Janet Fasakin! Your impact speaks for itself.

we celebrate Mariam Adeshola, a valued TEAM member of the Ability Plus Initiative family.

Your dedication, strength, and contribution to our mission of touching lives and promoting inclusion are truly appreciated. We wish you a beautiful birthday filled with joy, growth, purpose, and greater achievements.

Happy Birthday, Mariam Afolabi
With love from everyone at Ability Plus Initiative (API).

WEDNESDAY DEBATE

Over 25 million Nigerians live with a disability.

Yet you can watch Nollywood for a whole year and barely see one of them on screen. Not as a lead. Not as a professional. Not as someone with a full life and a real story.

Just missing. Completely.
And when they do appear, it is usually as the sick one, the pitied one, the miracle story. Never just a person living their life like everyone else.

That is not representation. That is tokenism at best and erasure at worst.

So here is today's question:
Why are persons with disabilities almost invisible in Nigerian movies, TV shows, and advertisements, and who is responsible for fixing that?

Is it the directors? The producers? The brands? The government? The audience?
Or all of us?

Share this post because nothing changes until people start demanding better.

DON’T WAIT FOR THE WORLD TO BELIEVE IN YOU. BELIEVE IN YOURSELF FIRST.

Sometimes, people will doubt you simply because they cannot see what you see in yourself.

But your disability does not define your potential. Your dreams, talents, determination, and courage are part of your story too.
Believe in your ability. Keep learning. Keep growing. Keep showing up.

The world may not always recognize your potential immediately, but never let someone else’s doubt become your limitation.

Together, we are touching lives and promoting inclusion.