The Professional Fellows Program on Inclusive Civic Engagement
Fellows' Blog
Each year, a new cohort of disability rights professionals (Fellows) from Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda travels to the US to participate in a five-week Fellowship Program on inclusive civic engagement. Each Fellow writes a blog about their experiences during the Fellowship. US hosts have the option to travel to Fellows’ home countries for a two-week technical assistance trip, providing additional support. These Outbound Fellows also contribute a blog post about their experiences and the impact of their work abroad. We invite you to read about our Fellows, learn more, and consider getting involved with PFP.
Building Self-Advocacy Through Global Collaboration: The iRISE Self-Advocacy Toolkit for Persons with Down Syndrome and Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities
Published:
Country: Kenya
From April 13–24, 2026, Dr. Evan Borisinkoff traveled to Nairobi, Kenya, through the Professional Fellows Program on Inclusive Civic Engagement to collaborate with Roselyne Mburu, program coordinator for the Down Syndrome Society of Kenya (DSSK).
Read more...Building Bridges for Inclusive Civic Engagement: From New York to Nairobi
Published:
Country: Kenya
In October 2025, Dr. Izel S. Obermeyer welcomed Fall 2025 PFP Fellow Maria Makau to the Westchester Institute for Human Development (WIHD) in Valhalla, New York, for a three-week fellowship experience.
Read more...Accessibility Without Borders: A Personal Journey in the USA
Published:
Country: Kenya
Maria Makau is a 2025 Fellow in the Professional Fellows Program on Inclusive Civic Engagement. This program is sponsored by the US Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and is administered by the Institute for Community Inclusion (ICI) at the University of Massachusetts Boston in partnership with the African Disability Forum (ADF). The following blog post was written by guest author Maria.
Read more...From Dar es Salaam to Arizona: A Journey toward Inclusion
Published:
Country: Tanzania
Kelvin Mkude is a 2025 Fellow in the Professional Fellows Program on Inclusive Civic Engagement. This program is sponsored by the US Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and is administered by the Institute for Community Inclusion (ICI) at the University of Massachusetts Boston in partnership with the African Disability Forum (ADF). The following blog post was written by guest author Kelvin.
Read more...A Journey in Inclusion
Published:
Country: Kenya
John Mwangi is a 2025 Fellow in the Professional Fellows Program on Inclusive Civic Engagement. This program is sponsored by the US Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and is administered by the Institute for Community Inclusion (ICI) at the University of Massachusetts Boston in partnership with the African Disability Forum (ADF). The following blog post was written by guest author John.
Read more...From Tanzania to Ohio: How Two Weeks Transformed My Perspective
Published:
Country: Tanzania
Figure 1: Sadath in front of The Ohio State University Nisonger Center sign.
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