Changemaking Without Barriers. Ashoka's Insights In The Field of Disabilities
One in six people worldwide lives with a disability, yet it remains one of the most overlooked and underfunded causes of our time.
Discover what’s possible when changemakers lead the way. Download our new report, featuring the largest study ever conducted on Ashoka Fellows working in the field of disability. Gain powerful insights, bold ideas, and real-world solutions driving inclusion forward.
Accessible to all: a Word version is also available for screen readers.
Our Community of Fellows in the Field of Disabilities
For over 40 years, Ashoka has identified and supported nearly 4,000 leading social entrepreneurs worldwide. Around 1 in 15 (7%) focus on communities of persons with disabilities — and 72 of them identify as part of this community themselves.
For this report, we analyzed 252 Fellows from 58 countries, elected between 1980 and 2025.
Eight Patterns in Ashoka Fellow's Work
Across 252 profiles and decades of work, we identified 8 recurring patterns that define how Ashoka Fellows drive systemic change in the field of Disability.
Pattern #1: Changemaking Creates More Changemaking
Fellows move communities from dependency to agency — through capacity-building (78%), new curricula (50%), policy advocacy (53%), and storytelling (50%).
Pattern #2: Collaborations Across All Sectros Multiply Impact
Fellows never work alone. 100% partner across at least 2 sectors. Top collaborators: civil society (74%), families (57%), government (57%), education (54%).
Pattern #3: An Intersectional Lens Finds Overlooked Issues
Fellows recognize how overlapping systems of marginalizatio compound challenges — and design accordingly.
Pattern #4: “Nothing About Us Without Us”
Fellows co-design with persons with disabilities — not for them.
Pattern #5: Universal Design Creates Inclusion
Fellows go beyond disability-specific accommodations. They reimagine entire systems, environments, and services to be inherently inclusive, benefiting everyone.
Pattern #6: Designing for All Abilities
Fellows create products, services, and spaces usable by people across the full range of abilities — without the need for adaptation. From inclusive educational tools to accessible housing and public spaces.
Pattern #7: From Segregation to Integration
Fellows challenge institutionalization and segregation models by championing inclusive education, employment, and community living — designing environments that accommodate everyone from the outset.
Pattern #8: Promoting Independence and Choice
A defining goal across Fellows’ work: enhancing autonomy. Their solutions reduce dependency and increase meaningful participation — putting individuals in control of their own lives.
Gaps & Opportunities in the Field of Disabilities
While the 252 Fellows featured in this report are helping transform the disability field, critical gaps remain. We identified four key gaps as both priorities for future Fellowship expansion and an open invitation for collaboration to help close them.
At the same time, the significant gap between need and investment highlights a major opportunity to drive greater impact and accelerate change.
Download the full report to explore the gaps and opportunities ahead.
