Empowerment Through Integration

Mission

ETI’s mission is to disrupt the narrative surrounding disability through both empowering youth with disabilities individually - and accelerating authentic inclusion globally. ETI is committed to developing a more inclusive society and breaking the cycle of disempowerment of people with disabilities by focusing primarily and intensively on capacity building and mindset transformation.

Services Provided

ETI's model combines two core approaches: specialized life skills training & mindset shift training. Through the implementation of its model and providing services including youth empowerment programs, inclusion training, and public engagements, we transform the social and cultural stigmas against disability, challenge stereotypes about people with disabilities, and accelerate authentic inclusion globally. As part of its programs, ETI implements specialized life skills training with families and youth with visual impairments as well as specialized inclusive education training for educators, such as inclusive STEM, Diversity and Inclusion, among others.

How Donations Are Used

Donations are used to cover the costs associated with our program development and implementation, operations and outreach.

Number of People Reached

Approximately 3,500 people.

Project Spotlight

Even in the year 2020, the reality in most countries around the world is that individuals who are blind are still not fully incorporated as active contributors in their respective communities, and a large number of people with visual impairments are still experiencing chronic disempowerment due to stigma, which is perpetuated by their families and communities not recognizing their values and potentials as fellow human beings. This scenario leads to historical marginalization of blind individuals who are maintained isolated from the rest of their peers and community, excluded from mainstream systems, and left aside as “discarded human potentials.”

In response to the pervasive and historical marginalization of blind individuals around the globe, ETI implements specialized life skills training with families and youth with visual impairments in underserved communities around the globe. Our training is based on ETI’s expertise accumulated in 10 years of implementation of direct services for blind youth, families, and members of the community. Through specialized life skills & inclusion virtual and hybrid courses, ETI empowers families and professionals with knowledge and skills needed to transform their mindsets towards authentic inclusion.

The ultimate goal of ETI’s specialized training is to instill in individuals the understanding that we are all responsible for contributing to the development of a sustainable, empowered and inclusive world and that this responsibility is based on the recognition that ALL humans are valuable to society.

Awards Received

ETI’s expertise has been recognized with awards and certifications from prominent organizations such as Harvard Innovation, Clinton Foundation, Echoing Green, and MIT Innovation Initiative. ETI’s Founder, Sara Minkara, is also a Forbes 30 Under 30 awardee.

Interesting Facts

ETI was founded by advocate and social entrepreneur Sara Minkara, a Lebanese-American Muslim woman who lost her sight at age seven.