• A $1 million project by India and UNDP aims to support job access for 500,000 disabled Sierra Leoneans.
• The initiative offers vocational training, entrepreneurship aid, and assistive devices.
• Despite limited funding, the program targets structural labor inequality and SDG advancement.

Sierra Leone has launched a $1 million economic inclusion program to improve employment access for persons with disabilities, with support from the Government of India and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP). The announcement was made on May 16 at the South-South and Triangular Cooperation Forum hosted by the African Peer Review Mechanism.

The initiative is designed to help an estimated 500,000 Sierra Leoneans living with disabilities, many of whom face daily challenges in accessing formal employment, education, and basic services. Funded through a South-South cooperation framework, the project includes vocational training, support for entrepreneurship, and the distribution of assistive devices.

Speaking at the launch, Melrose Karminty, Sierra Leone’s Minister for Social Affairs, praised India’s contribution: “We raised the urgent challenges facing our disabled population and India responded with genuine commitment”.

Disabled persons across the Global South often participate in non-salaried and informal labor, or remain excluded from economic activity altogether. According to the International Labor Organisation (ILO), global labor force participation among people with disabilities is 30% lower than for those without disabilities.

This new initiative seeks to address structural exclusion and contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly those related to social equity and poverty reduction. However, the limited funding, equating to around two dollars per beneficiary, underscores the challenge of delivering large-scale impact in a context of significant need.

Its success will likely depend on the program’s ability to mobilize local institutions, ensure community participation, and establish reliable monitoring mechanisms for results tracking and long-term sustainability.