Julius Mbura, a passionate advocate for disability inclusion and inABLE’s advocacy officer, recently completed the prestigious Mandela Washington Fellowship (MWF) 2024. Selected under the Civic Engagement track, Julius’s journey was nothing short of transformative.  

The Fellowship, which brings together 700 young African leaders across 49 African countries, focuses on building leadership capacity in the areas of Business Development, Civic Engagement, and Public Administration. For Julius, the fellowship was a natural step forward in his mission to champion disability rights and inclusion. 

Julius was inspired to apply for the Mandela Washington Fellowship after seeing how well his advocacy work aligned with the program’s mission. “I felt that I fit the criteria of being an emerging young African leader transforming society positively,” he recalls. He recognized the Fellowship as an opportunity to enhance his skills and network with like-minded individuals who are also making an impact in their communities. 

As someone dedicated to promoting disability inclusion, Julius found the Civic Engagement track to be the ideal choice. His work at inABLE allowed him to bring a unique perspective to the table, especially in discussions around diversity and leadership. “My advocacy expertise and background in Disability Inclusion, which is part of diversity, came to life,” Julius shares. His contributions not only enhanced his own learning but also brought disability issues into the broader leadership conversation. 

One of Julius’s standout moments was winning the prestigious Ignite Talk competition at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC), where he represented his cohort during the 10-year anniversary summit in Washington D.C. “I emerged as the winner of the Ignite Talk to represent UMBC at the Summit,” Julius recalls with pride. His spoken word piece, titled 01 to 10, resonated deeply with the audience and earned him well-deserved recognition. 

However, his journey wasn’t without challenges, particularly related to his visual impairment. Thankfully, throughout the Fellowship, the program provided support through reasonable accommodations, such as wheelchair assistance and access to assistive technology like screen readers and a JAWS-enabled laptop. “At every stage, I was sufficiently oriented to my environment,” says Julius, appreciating the dedicated support provided by the Fellowship’s logistics team. 

Julius highlights how the Fellowship ensured that Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) were fully included throughout the program. “The Fellowship encourages PWDs to apply in numbers and has a provision in the application process where you indicate your needs for tailored accommodations,” he explains. This inclusive approach made his experience seamless, allowing him to focus on his learning and leadership development. 

Reflecting on his Fellowship experience, Julius is excited about applying what he has learned to his work at inABLE. “At the Light House for the Blind in Austin, I learned the importance of cross-training across different departments and encouraging employees to pursue courses that add value to their skill set,” he shares. This knowledge will undoubtedly contribute to enhancing the programs and advocacy work at inABLE. 

Looking ahead, Julius is more determined than ever to create lasting change for people with disabilities. “I am a proud alumnus of MWF 2024 and super grateful for this wonderful opportunity,” he says. 

As Julius continues his work at inABLE, his experiences from the Mandela Washington Fellowship will inspire and empower others in the disability inclusion space, both in Kenya and beyond. 

Written by Lily Ronoh-Waweru, Strategic Communications Specialist