Profiling

The Coordinating Unit of Associations of Persons with Disabilities (CUAPWD) is a vital umbrella organization in Cameroon. CUAPWD, as a network, coordinates over 200 member organizations of persons with disabilities (OPDs). It promotes disability as a cross-cutting issue, advocates for rights, accessibility, inclusion, and improved quality of life. CUAPWD intervenes in areas of Health, Education, Livelihood, social inclusion, empowerment, humanitarian outreach, and Research. CUAPWD empowers persons with disabilities to overcome stigma, barriers, and marginalization, fostering an enabling environment for all

The inspiring stories of successful individuals with disabilities highlight the impact of such coordinated advocacy and support networks like CUAPWD, which amplify voices, build resilience, and drive systemic change in Cameroon. One Successful person with disability, according to Research is Chick Sama

Chick Sama is a dedicated disability rights leader with over two decades of frontline advocacy experience. As a person with a visual impairment (like many key figures in CUAPWD’s leadership), he has risen to prominence through persistent efforts in building inclusive policies, empowering organizations of persons with disabilities (OPDs), and driving systemic change amid challenges like the Anglophone crisis and limited resources. His journey reflects a deep commitment to the disability movement: he has been instrumental in transforming CUAPWD into a highly structured umbrella network that unites over 200 associations across the national territory.

Under his coordination, CUAPWD has focused on shifting persons with disabilities from passive beneficiaries to active “development architects” and humanitarian response actors leading strong advocacies, managing projects, organizing events, and pushing for inclusive initiatives.

Chick Sama’s leadership ties directly to CUAPWD’s core work in several impactful ways:

• He has spearheaded capacity-building workshops for OPD leaders, equipping them to advocate for inclusion during crises and everyday barriers.
  He was unanimously elected as the Pioneer Coordinator of a key working group on disability rights, recognizing his expertise in policy development and advocacy.
• CUAPWD, under his guidance, runs programs like the “Leave No One Behind” (LNOB4) project phases, which promote education, health, livelihoods, community-based rehabilitation, and humanitarian inclusion for persons with disabilities, especially in conflict-affected areas where access to aid remains limited.
• Recent commendations from regional authorities, such as the NW Delegate of Social Affairs, highlight how his tireless efforts (along with the team) have transformed thousands of lives, fostering mentorship for young advocates to ensure long-term continuity and growth of the movement.

Chick Sama’s story exemplifies how personal resilience and lived experience can fuel collective progress. Through CUAPWD, he helps create enabling environments where persons with disabilities are respected, empowered, and included as equal participants in society, advancing networking, training, advocacy, and evidence-based change despite ongoing discrimination and structural hurdles.

His role underscores CUAPWD’s mission to build a stronger, more united disability community in the North West, South West, West Region and Beyond.