Special Needs Initiative For Growth

01/05/2026

Happy birthday to our amazing Financial Director We wish you long life and prosperity! Many more years and counting! 🎉🥳

20/03/2026

We are glad to have Itunu Ogundiyun, Child and Adolescent Therapist, as one of our speakers for the World Down Syndrome Day 2026 webinar.

Itunu will speak on “Mental Health and Resilience with Strategies for PWDs to Thrive in the Workforce.” This session will bring attention to an important part of inclusion that is often ignored, how persons with disabilities can be supported to stay mentally well while navigating the workforce.

The webinar will hold on Monday, March 23rd 2026 at 12 noon via Zoom.
Register here: https://tinyurl.com/WDSD-2026-Webinar

Please share and repost with your networks!

20/03/2026

Our next speaker spotlight is Toluwase Olaniyan, Executive Director of EGO Foundation.

At the webinar, Toluwase will speak on “Building Entrepreneurial Mindset in PWDs with Strategies for Success.” This conversation will focus on real pathways to entrepreneurship and what it takes to build confidence, direction, and business thinking as a person with disability.

The webinar will hold on Monday, March 23rd 2026 at 12 noon via Zoom.
Register here: https://tinyurl.com/WDSD-2026-Webinar

Please share and repost to as many people who will benefit from this opportunity!

20/03/2026

Our webinar speaker spotlight is on Rasak Adekoya, Global Technical Advisor.

He will be speaking on “Navigating the Workforce as a PWD through Overcoming Obstacles and Achieving Success.” This session will focus on workplace barriers, practical ways to respond to them, and how persons with disabilities can build a path forward.

Join us on Monday, March 23rd 2026 at 12 noon via Zoom.
Register here: https://tinyurl.com/WDSD-2026-Webinar

Please share with your networks and we look forward to seeing you there!

15/03/2026

Counting down to the 23rd of March! Register today!
Special Needs Initiative for Growth, in partnership with the , invites you to our webinar series in commemoration of World Down Syndrome Day 2026.

The theme is Advancing the Workforce Opportunities of Individuals with Disabilities.
This webinar will create space for practical conversations on how persons with disabilities can better access jobs, build businesses, and thrive in the workplace. It will also address mental health, resilience, and the real barriers many still face.

We will also hear directly from six self-advocates sharing their own workforce journeys: , Victor Uche Odogwu, Awele Mordi, Divine Adyeye, Favour Jideonwor, and

The webinar will be held on Monday, March 23rd 2026, at 12 noon via Zoom.

Register here: https://tinyurl.com/WDSD-2026-Webinar
You can also scan the QR code on the e-flyer.

We look forward to having you.
Please share this with your networks!

DownSyndromeInclusion worlddownsyndromeday

13/03/2026

Special Needs Initiative for Growth, in partnership with the .org.ng , invites you to our webinar series in commemoration of World Down Syndrome Day 2026.

The theme is Advancing the Workforce Opportunities of Individuals with Disabilities.

This webinar will create space for practical conversations on how persons with disabilities can better access jobs, build businesses, and thrive in the workplace. It will also address mental health, resilience, and the real barriers many still face.

Our featured speakers are Global Technical Advisor; , Executive Director of EGO Foundation; and Ogundiyun, Child and Adolescent Therapist.

We will also hear directly from six self-advocates sharing their own workforce journeys: , Victor Uche Odogwu, Awele Mordi, Divine Adyeye, Favour Jideonwor, and .

The webinar will be held on Monday, March 23rd 2026, at 12 noon via Zoom.

Register here: https://tinyurl.com/WDSD-2026-Webinar
You can also scan the QR code on the e-flyer.

There will be a surprise for the first 10 persons with disabilities who attend and actively engage during the event and until its completion.

We look forward to having you.

Share this with someone you know who could benefit from this informative webinar!

DownSyndromeInclusion

Special Needs Initiative For Growth and the Down Syndrome Foundation Nigeria are convening this webinar to deepen conversations on inclusive employment, share practical strategies, and encourage clear action in the workplace. The session will bring together persons with disabilities, HR professional...

13/12/2025

Happy Birthday to our amazing Project and Admin Head, Ms Kikelomo Olatunde! We are grateful for you and all that you do. We wish you so much joy, peace and prosperity in all your endeavors!

Have a very wonderful celebration!


 

03/12/2025

Today, on the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, we join the global community in calling for a society where everyone is seen, heard, and valued.

This year’s theme — “Fostering disability inclusive societies for advancing social progress” — reminds us that true progress leaves no one behind.

At Special Needs Initiative for Growth, we believe inclusion is not just a goal. It is a daily practice. It shows up in the classroom, in workplaces, in policies, and in how we treat each other.

We remain committed to building spaces where children, youth, and adults with disabilities can thrive with dignity and access. A fair society is one where everyone has what they need to grow.

Let’s work together to create a world that works for all of us.

11/11/2025

Today marks eight years since we took the first bold step to establish Special Needs Initiative For Growth also known as Initiative For National Growth Africa. What started as a vision to bridge the gap in inclusive education, employment, and empowerment for persons with disabilities has grown into a movement that has impacted lives across Nigeria and beyond.
Over the years, we have been privileged to walk alongside incredible children, youth, mothers, families, and caregivers, people whose courage and resilience remind us daily why this work matters. They are the mission.
We take a moment today to express our heartfelt gratitude:
* To our Board of Trustees, whose guidance and commitment have been the foundation of our growth.
* To every team member and volunteer, past and present, whose hands and hearts have kept the vision alive.
* To our donors and funding partners, who have believed in our ideas and trusted us to deliver them with dignity and impact.
* To our fellow changemakers, allies, and collaborators, who have joined forces with us to advocate for systems change.
* And most importantly, to our **beneficiaries, the children, young adults, and mothers with disabilities, **whose stories, strength, and progress continue to inspire and ground everything we do.
We arethe power of what is possible when people come together for a better cause to better the lives of individuals with disabilities.
This is only the beginning.
We look ahead with renewed commitment to do the work, steadily, intentionally, and with integrity. We will continue to innovate, partner, and scale solutions that place dignity, accessibility, and opportunity at the center.
To everyone who has supported this journey, we say thank you. We honour the past eight years with humility, and we step into the future with hope.

18/09/2025

We are wishing our Board Chair today, a Happy Birthday and more life and prosperity in all your endeavors, Sir!

Have a very wonderful celebration!


 

23/07/2025

One of the most inspiring moments during the Empowered Mothers, Thriving Children Cohort 7 program was watching the mothers stand up and pitch their businesses; clearly, boldly, and with purpose.

But this did not happen by chance. Earlier in the week, Ms. Seun Sangoleye, the founder of Baby Grubz, sat with the mothers for a hands-on session on business pitching. She broke it down, how to present your business in a few short minutes, what to say, what funders listen for, and how to stay calm under pressure. Most of these mothers had never spoken about their businesses in front of a group of potential investors or partners before. Some had never written a business elevator pitch. But with simple tools and real-life examples, Ms. Seun helped them find their voice.
But towards the end of the program, the mothers were ready. One after the other, they came forward and shared their business ideas with a panel of judges. Some were nervous. Some forgot their lines and started again. But each of them stood up and spoke, with confidence that was not there before. That was the real win.


These women now know how to speak for their businesses, how to seek support, and how to build partnerships that will help them grow. Pitching gave them not just skills, but true power!