we carryout continuous Disability Awareness Programme that is geared towards subsiding the stereotypical mindset of the society towards persons with disabilities, hence providing vast opportunities for everyone to get involved in creating a positive and inclusive society for all
the passion to set up this initiative was developed in the year 2018 during the period our founder AGOHA SOPURUCHI JOSEPH, got enrolled to study special education at post graduate level. the program exposed and increased his knowledge, experience and communication amongst persons with disabilities especially students. His direct contact with these students and their challenging emotional, psychological, and physiological needs motivated his clamour and advocacy for the right, needs, aspirations, and inclusiveness of these members of our society. He was disturbed by the way most of these children are abandoned in most special centres without any parental or family care. What triggered him most in the fight against stigmatization and discrimination of these persons with disabilities is the way at which they are used as an object of revenue generation by the members of their immediate family and other agencies of the society. Educational institutions who are supposed to be advocating for the inclusion of these set of citizens are now the main agents of discrimination and stigmatization. Their inability to access governments institutions inclusive schools, workplace, and health centres became worrisome. his experience when he was selected as NASET representative to represent his state Imo in the national UBEC Assessment of Intervention Project was also a driving force. During the assessment, he discovered that most provisions and funds made available by UBEC to enhance the education of the students with special needs were redirected by school administrators and SUBEB officers to non-profitable project that were not beneficial to the needs of these students with special needs. The assistive devices that was provided to aid the education and daily lives of these students was under lock and key thereby leaving them with their pressing needs. Through his numerous outreach programs particularly in rural areas of Nigeria, his considered viewpoint that, poor outcomes involving persons who needs special support in Nigeria is due to institutional weaknesses across the education value chain and leadership style. Although education and care for persons with special needs has improved dramatically in many nations of the world, such access in Nigeria has remained challenging due to institutional weaknesses, cultural impediments, societal disenchantment and complete absence of effective policy intervention needed to address the issue. The above critical issues motivated him to get involved in bringing immediate and positive change to the society using the knowledge, skills and abilities gained from academic and professional experience. the passion to empower, inspire and guide individual and groups spurred him to set up this initiative. After series of meetings with meaningful members of the society, he took the bold step to register CAREER DEVELOPMENT AND INCLUSIVE RIGHT FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES INITIATIVE, as a non-profit charity organisation in Nigeria. CAREER DEVELOPMENT AND INCLUSIVE RIGHT FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES INITIATIVE started by providing little social and moral support for some students with special needs in schools.
To build a society where equity social justice and rights of persons with disabilities are guaranteed through specific projects, advocacy and partnership with relevant stakeholders.
Our mission is to advocate for the right, dignity, and inclusion of persons with disabilities in the societal programmes and services through sensitization, intervention, educational support, social support, and community service programmes.
Mr. Sopuruchi Joseph Agoha is a Special Educator, and Counselling Psychologist with vast experience in special education and educational psychology, guidiance and counselling. An astute professional with proven expertise in pedagogy especially among children with special needs. A committed team player with strong skills necessary to coordinate, communicate and optimize organizational goals in key areas of problem-solving, child-development, ethics and human resource development. A volunteer, motivational speaker and a dynamic youth leader.
He has always craved to understand the underlining drivers of human behavioral disposition right from his high school era. This interest is credited with his genuine resolve to seek professional expertise in counseling and other professional services in teaching and caring for people who are dependent for daily living more especially persons with all forms of disabilities.
Following his bachelor’s degree in Counseling Psychology from the University of Port Harcourt Nigerian in 2014 and graduate studies (master’s degree) in Special Needs Education from Ignaitius Ajuru University of Education, Iwofe in 2021, he was actively involved in programs and activities that are connected with individual and group behavioral dispositions in relation to counseling, special needs education and human development.
Mr. Sopuruchi Joseph Agoha is currently undertaking a PhD program at Ignatius Ajuru University of Education.
