The `Obuntu Bulamu' Visual Narratives: Participatory Research and Film Making About Inclusion of Children with Disabilities in Uganda

In the Global South children with disabilities have often been left out of research projects. A method which has the potential to increase inclusion of children with disabilities in research is participatory photography and video.

In this participatory research project 32 children with disabilities and their peers aged 8 to 14 living in Central Uganda, were asked to describe their daily life experiences through drawings, photos, and films. The project was nested within a larger intervention study which aims to improve inclusion, which used an African childhood disability studies framework with Afrocentric methods, involving the children’s family and community networks. In five participatory workshops, each followed by home and school follow up visits, children co-created 3 short films and 1 documentary film together with their peers, family members, teachers, and communities.

The short films and documentary were shared with stakeholders and have been utilized by civil society organizations and organizations of persons with disabilities in advocacy and training initiatives on disability inclusion in Uganda and abroad. Participants felt positive about the outcomes, going forward they suggested making more short films featuring the experiences of children with different types of impairments to build the confidence of children with disabilities, reduce stigma and advocate for family and community support.

Participatory film is a feasible and meaningful way of including children with disabilities in research in the Global South when we acknowledge the importance of interdependence, step away from predefined ideas, reflect on voice and hierarchy, make ethical considerations, and allow space and time for a nonlinear and complex process.