i2i: Innovation to Inclusion

i2i is a three-year programme focused on technological initiatives that directly improve access to paid private sector work for people with disabilities in Kenya and Bangladesh. Funded by UK aid and managed by a consortium led by pan-disability charity Leonard Cheshire, i2i will improve access to waged employment for 10,000 women and men and benefit up to 50,000 family and community members. i2i shows the impact that digital and tech-based solutions can have in strengthening disability inclusion.

i2i will directly benefit 10,000 people with disabilities of working age. In addition, the programme will reach 120 government personnel; 100 DPO representatives; 100 employer representatives; and 12,000 family and community members of people with disabilities.

The project will be delivered through a consortium, bringing together a diverse and complementary group of partners, each of whom have significant expertise. The consortium will be supported by implementing partners, including at least 20 Disabled People’s Organisations (DPOs), 80 private companies, relevant government agencies and government staff in the implementing countries, technology-based recruitment companies and key academic institutions.

Leonard Cheshire (lead of the i2i consortium)

Consortium partners;

· Action Network for the Disabled Kenya (ANDY);

· Bangladesh Business and Disability Network (BBDN);

· CBM;

· European Disability Forum (EDF)

· Global Disability Innovation Hub (GDIH),

· International Labour Organisation (ILO);

· London School of Tropical Health and Medicine (LSTHM);

· Plan International UK (Plan)

· World Bank (WB)

Every organization in the consortium contribute based on their specific expertise towards the goal of creating inclusive employment opportunities for persons with disabilities in the formal sector in Kenya and Bangladesh. The i2i programme specifically emphasizes digital and technological innovations along the DEP [Disability Employment Pathway] to increase persons with disabilities’ confidence, soft skills and digital literacy while finding solutions to address barriers in employment and retention such as additional cost of transportation, accommodation and lack of assistive technologies.

i2i will also work with DPOs to strengthen community support for women and men with disabilities seeking employment by addressing social and gender norms. Skilled women and men with disabilities will be supported to find waged employment through an inclusive employer hub which includes accessible online job matching platforms, job fairs and recruitment agencies.

GDI Hub will identify and select innovative ideas through an innovation challenge call to support, develop and implement ideas that will address solutions to barriers for women and men with disabilities to access and retain waged employment in the private sector (specifically technology) in Kenya and Bangladesh.