My name is Sarah Mwikali, Cofounder and Director of Programs at Gifted Community Centre-GCC, an award winning organization that works to promote disability inclusion, social and economic independence of youth with disabilities and their families in the informal settlements and colleges of Kenya.

I have served in CCYDN’s executive committee as Africa’s Regional Representative since its founding and currently I am an associate committee.In my roles, I have participated in national and international events amplifying CCYDN’s work, supported development of various key policy documents, amplified its work on social media, and mentored other young people, some of whom have joined the network and serve in leadership positions.

My application as a Vice Chair is based on my motivation to mentor more young people especially from Africa to be the leaders they ought to be as well as increase CCYDN’s proactiveness on research and dissemination

For the past two years I have had the privilege to represent CCYDN as one of its executive members. It has been a spectacular experience and I’ve loved every minute of it meeting various like-minded people from across the Commonwealth with various disabilities like my own.I have felt every member of this network has been a true inspiration for all disabled people and this inspiration is the reason for why I wish to apply to be co-chair for the network.

I wish to act as a representative not just for the executive of this network but for every individual member and I will ensure that everyone who is a part of this network feels valued, cared for and supported to pursue their human rights.

I believe I’m suitable for this position as I already have previous experience with the network, ensuring that every member’s voice is heard from whatever part of the globe they are from. I wish to make this network achieve great things showing all that disability does not just affect adults but affects everyone.

I am keen to take on the vice chair role to support our chair in ensuring CCYDN can grow and establish itself in the best way possible.
I have been a part of CCYDN for the last three years, working with CCYDN specifically on growing our representation.

In these years I have progressed my own work as I have become a board member for a disability representative organisation, attending the Conference of State Parties on the CRPD multiple times and working within the sector in my ongoing advocacy.

I am a strong team worker and believe I can work with the chair and other vice chair to streamline the work we are doing – particularly as we have many more commonwealth countries having just joined us on the executive. I would want to work with lesser represented commonwealth countries on our representation and goals, while increasing our visibility all over the world. I want to make the whole executive more connected and aware of each other.