“The Opportunity Training Centre – Sierra Leone (OTC-SL) was founded by a group of polio survivors headed by Mr. Ekundayor Scotland in 1994. It started as a training centre for polio survivors within the Kenema District with the purpose of supporting other polio survivors to move away from begging for alms and to learn livelihood skills to earn income for their survival in a dignified manner. Over the years as the organisation evolved, it became evident that the organisation should transition from merely operating as a skills training centre to an advocacy and empowerment organisation. To that end, it has also shifted its focus from only targeting polio survivors to including all other types of physical impairment. OTC-SL, being a Disabled Persons Organization (DPO), is registered with the Ministry of Social Welfare Gender and Children’s Affairs (MSWGCA), Kenema District Council (KDC) and quite recently with the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development as a voluntary non-governmental organisation. It has established and nurtured close working relationship with the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities (NCPD) and other relevant national and international disability focus organisations within and outside of Kenema district. The organisation’s operations can be broadly classified into two major thematic areas which are:

advocacy for an inclusive society and empowerment of PwDs to live a dignified life thereby contributing to nation building. To that end, its training workshops has received accreditation and approval from the then Ministry of Education Science and Technology – MEST (now Ministry of Technical and Higher Education – MTHE) to be operating as a Technical Vocational Education and Training Centre (TVET) to undertake skills training to improve the country’s middle level manpower sector. An opportunity for every citizen to acquire the requisite skills to attract employment or become self-employed. Certificates issued are also recognized by employers in both the public and private sector. Furthermore, the teaching staff and management work on voluntary basis. OTC-SL remains an important provider of TVET for persons with physical impairment in the Kenema district, and one of the only options for them to learn skills that can provide them with an income and dignified livelihood. Through the provision of education and livelihood opportunities, OTC-SL has been contributing towards decreasing the social stigma and neglect of PwDs. As well as improve their social status, dignity, and ability to become independent, and be an important factor in securing their human rights, as set forth in the UNCRPD. Also worth noting is that, through its advocacy programme, OTC-SL has advocated on human rights issues including education, socio-economic, and political rights of PwDs, especially polio survivors.

Being aware that public perception of PwDs is about street begging and illiteracy, OTC-SL has been contributing towards changing this narrative in Kenema district as evident in the reduce number of polio survivors engaging in street begging in that part of the country. However, OTC-SL has been grappling with numerous challenges, for instance since the approval of its Technical and Vocational Training Centre by the GoSL, it is yet to receive any subvention neither in the form of teaching and learning materials nor salaries for its teaching staff. Further still, its advocacy activities have been short lived due to lack of support to implement long lasting advocacy program. Thus, it is against this moral sublime that OTC-SL with support from Engineers Without Borders – Denmark (EWB-DK) and Danish Association for the Physically Disabled (DHF) agreed to develop a five-year strategic plan spanning 2019 – 2024; that will provide a road map for the organization to leverage on its strengths and opportunities, deal with weaknesses and threats to become a premier advocacy and empowerment DPO in Sierra Leone.”

“Opportunity Training Centre is a Vocational Training Center approved and recognised by the then Ministry of Education, Science and Technology now renamed Ministry of Technical and Higher Education. The Training Center was founded by a group of polio survivors headed by Mr. Ekundayor Scotland in 1994. It started as a training Centre for polio survivors in the Kenema District with the purpose of supporting other polio survivors to move away from begging for alms to learning livelihood skills to earn income for their survival in a dignified manner. It is opportunity for every citizen to acquire the requisite skills to attract employment or become self-employed. Certificates issued are recognized by employers in both the public and private sectors. However, the teaching and management staff work on voluntary basis. OTC-SL remains an important provider of TVET for persons with physical impairments in the Kenema district. One of the only options for them to learn skills that can provide an income and dignified livelihood Since the organisation is advocating for inclusive education for all, we do not only train Persons with Disability, but we also admit abled bodied youths who want to benefit from the services provided at the Centre. The campus is situated at clerk’s quarter road, Off Maxwell Khobe street, Kenema. Over the years, OTC has partnered with other organisations such as Chid Fund,

CARD – SL and Network Movement for Justice and Democracy [ NMJD] to train PwDs and other interested youths in various disciplines. The key focus of the institution is to empower PwDs to live a dignified life thereby contributing to nation building hence the motto ‘PERSEVERANCE FOR SELF- RELIANCE’. The institution received accreditation and approval from the then Ministry of Education, Science and Technology [ MEST] now Ministry of Technical and Higher Education [MTHE] and operates a technical Vocational Education and Training [ TVET] Centre as part of its empowerment programme to contribute towards improving the country’s middle level manpower sector. OTC remains to be an important provider of TVET for person with disability in the Kenema District, and one of the only options for them to learn skills that can earn them income in a dignified livelihood. Like any other institution, OTC has Management and teaching staff and, volunteers whose activities are superintended over by the Advisory Board.