Disability is not disability – World Relief

Did you know that people living with disabilities represent 16% of the world’s population? That’s 1 in 6 of us. And yet, in communities around the world, people living with disabilities are often pushed to the margins of society. They face significant barriers to participation in their communities and access to critical care, putting them at greater risk of violence, exploitation, health problems and poverty.

Fortunately, God wrote a different story for Boniface in Malawi.

Born with a disability that robbed him of his sight, Bonifácio found solace in singing. Although he had big dreams and wanted to get married and start a family, his disability cast a shadow over his life. In the 5th grade, he was forced to drop out of school due to lack of resources, depriving him of a quality education. As an adult, his fields were stolen by those who could not see beyond his disability.

But things changed when Boniface’s church participated in World Relief’s disability inclusion training.

After being trained, church leaders invited Bonifacio and others like him to participate in church activities, including taking on leadership roles such as preaching, praying, and, most important to Bonifacio, singing. What’s more, church leaders formed support groups for people with disabilities and began to reshape the way community members viewed people living with disabilities.

“World Relief came and opened our eyes to see the most vulnerable among us – people with disabilities… We embraced it wholeheartedly [Jesus’] called to care for people with disabilities in our communities.”

– Church Leader in Malawi

Today, Bonifácio is a leader in his community. He facilitates a support group and leads church worship. He is also married and now has a son.

At World Relief, we believe that each person is created in the image of God and has inherent value – including those with disabilities. We imagine a world where people like Bonifacio are seen and valued, where the church lives up to its call not only to serve people with disabilities, but also to build communities where they too can release their God-given gifts to serve others.

Thanks to the support of people like you in fiscal 2023, we expanded our programming that includes people with disabilities to involve more churches and communities in reaching out to people like Boniface. Together, we mobilized 548 churches and trained 1,879 volunteers and faith leaders in Malawi, Burundi and Rwanda to reach 8,449 people!

At World Relief, we also ensure that immigrants with disabilities have the support they need when they resettle in the US. In FY23, we helped 147 people with disabilities or chronic illnesses through our Preferred Communities Program.

For us, the inclusion of people with disabilities is not just a program. It is a way of living and working that infuses disability inclusion into every aspect of our work.

Our transformative approach starts with training our team. It then extends to the heart of each community, equipping church and community leaders with the knowledge and tools needed to engage people with disabilities and address the stigmas that exist through community dialogue forums. Church leaders also mobilize their congregations to help people with disabilities with things like home renovations and obtaining basic necessities like food and clothing. They also form support groups where people like Boniface can safely connect and deal with issues that affect them.

Together, we are paving the way for churches to deepen their calling to love those on the margins. By working through the local church, entire communities are transformed as each person’s gifts are recognized and given room to shine!

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