Our Projects
At the Rotary Club of World Disability Advocacy (RCWDA), we turn ideas into action to make the world more inclusive!
Our projects are led by people with disabilities and allies, happening in communities around the world. RCWDA does not provide any form of direct financial support or grants for project implementation. Instead, we assist proponents by offering guidance, visibility, and connections to external funding sources, and we require each submitted proposal to include a well-defined, independent fundraising strategy.
Here are some of our projects – and how you can be part of them:
Inclusive Education Summit
This is our biggest event of the year – a free, online conference where experts, teachers, students, and advocates from many countries come together to share ways to make education more inclusive.
In 2024, our first summit welcomed over 500 people from 13 countries! It included workshops on classroom inclusion, assistive tech, and adapting lessons for different learning needs.
Why it matters: Many schools around the world are still not welcoming or accessible to learners with disabilities. This summit helps spread ideas that work – and many attendees have gone on to start their own local projects.
✅ You can attend, present, or help plan the next summit! Check our Events Calendar.
Global Accessibility Mapping
We encourage members to become “accessibility detectives” in their own cities! Participants visit places like parks, libraries, tourist sites, or shops and check how easy (or hard) they are to access for people using wheelchairs, canes, or other aids or people who need to use assistive listening.
The results are added to a global online map to help others find accessible places – and push local governments to fix the ones that are not.
✅ Want to join the mapping team? All you need is a phone and a willingness to observe and report.
Peer Support & Mentorship
Sometimes, a bit of guidance makes a big difference. In this project, we match newer members or people new to disability advocacy with experienced RCWDA mentors.
Together, they build confidence, leadership skills, and support. Many mentees go on to lead projects themselves – and even become mentors later!
✅ Are you looking for support? Or do you want to offer it? Let us know – everyone has something to give.
Accessible Transportation Advocacy
One of our members, a transportation engineer who uses a wheelchair, led a project to improve buses and train stations in her city. She hosted webinars with city planners and shared real-life examples of how to improve public transit access.
✅ We support and promote similar local efforts worldwide offering guidance and visibility rather than financial support. If transport is a challenge in your area, we’re here to help you raise your voice.
And That's Just the Start!
Local Projects
Our members also work on many smaller or local projects, like:
Hosting disability art exhibits
Helping with vaccination campaigns to include people with disabilities
Every project starts with one person seeing a need. That could be you.
Webinars & Workshops
We host free sessions on topics like:
Accessible websites
Disability rights
Vocational training
Got an Idea or Want to Get Involved?
Do you have an idea for a project that promotes disability inclusion? Or would you like to join one of our ongoing initiatives?
If you already have a project, please click Submit a Project below — we’ll review it and help you shape a strong proposal with a clear fundraising plan.
If you’d like to collaborate on an existing project, use the Contact Us button in the menu to get in touch with our team.
Together, we can make inclusion happen.