As the world marked the 2025 International Day of Persons with Disabilities, the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI) delivered life-changing support to hundreds of beneficiaries in Ebonyi State, reaffirming the Federal Government’s commitment to building an inclusive Nigeria where no citizen is left behind.
The message of the celebration was clear: disability does not diminish value. Every individual deserves dignity, opportunity and a fair chance, and the Renewed Hope Initiative is helping to make that possible.
At the Women Development Centre in Abakaliki, excitement filled the atmosphere as 250 persons with disabilities joined thousands of others across the 36 states, the FCT and security formations to receive empowerment grants aimed at strengthening small businesses and improving livelihoods. The programme formed part of the Renewed Hope Initiative Economic Empowerment Programme (RHI-EEP), implemented in collaboration with the Better Health for Rural Women, Children and Internally Displaced Persons Foundation.
In her address, the Ebonyi State Commissioner for Women Affairs, Barr. Felicia Nwankpuma, described the event as a reminder of society’s shared responsibility to uphold dignity and equality. She commended Governor Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru for prioritising inclusion through the People’s Charter of Needs, noting that the state government has consistently ensured that persons with disabilities benefit from festive welfare interventions and empowerment programmes.
Nwankpuma also praised Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, for expanding access to public services, supporting special schools and providing livelihoods for vulnerable families through initiatives under the Renewed Hope Agenda. She said persons with disabilities in Ebonyi have not been left out of these interventions.
Representing the First Lady, the Ebonyi State Coordinator of the Renewed Hope Initiative and wife of the state governor, Mrs. Mary-Maudline Ogbonna Nwifuru, described the empowerment as a landmark intervention launched simultaneously across the 36 states, the FCT and the Defence and Police Officers’ Wives Association (DEPOWA).
She explained that each state, including the FCT and DEPOWA, received ₦50 million to support persons with disabilities, with each beneficiary receiving ₦200,000 to expand or recapitalise their businesses. A total of 9,500 Nigerians are expected to benefit nationwide, amounting to ₦1.9 billion in grants.
Quoting disability advocate Helen Keller, she reminded participants that “alone we can do little, but together we can do much,” noting that shared prosperity and inclusive growth lie at the heart of the Renewed Hope philosophy. She added that the First Lady’s programmes have supported more than 100,000 women, traders, small business owners and persons with disabilities through direct financial grants and interventions in agriculture, education, health and humanitarian relief.
For many beneficiaries, the support represents more than business capital; it is a restoration of confidence and dignity. President of the Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities (JONAPWD) in Ebonyi State, Chieme Franklin, expressed gratitude to the Federal Government and the Renewed Hope Initiative for the gesture. He appealed to Governor Nwifuru to assent to the Disability Commission Bill, which he said would institutionalise rights, protections and opportunities for persons with disabilities in the state.
“Persons with disabilities are willing and ready to contribute meaningfully to society. What we need is a system that recognises our potential and protects our rights,” he said.
Beyond the financial support, the Renewed Hope Initiative’s collaboration with the Better Health for Rural Women, Children and IDPs Foundation continues to expand healthcare access, nutrition support and general well-being services to vulnerable groups. In Ebonyi, the 2025 International Day of Persons with Disabilities became more than a commemoration—it became a renewed call for equality, dignity and partnership, anchored on the promise that no citizen will be left behind.