Social and economic exclusion of people with special needs does not affect the individual alone, but results in a high economic dependency on family members, relatives or government. Special services for people with special needs are expensive. Day-to-day caring needs of a people with special needs may hinder employment opportunities of the care takers, thus leading to a loss of potential family income. Likewise, due to the combination of ignorance, discrimination, exclusion from education and inaccessible environments, people with special needs face enormous barriers to employment opportunities. This is not only a negation of people with special needs rights, but is also a perpetuation of the vulnerability and poverty cycle.
Economic empowerment of people with special needs is not just about providing employment for people with special needs, but addressing other issues that amplify the cycle of disability, poverty and exclusion. At local levels, we work with governments, local partners and communities to enable:
