Blind people can’t handle money, explained the bank manager refusing to let young Rajab Mpilipili open an account. Rajab advocated for himself but the manager would not budge. So the bank lost money, and the determined young student hung on to his.
Savor the irony of a bank turning down money. Because of ableism, companies like this one are missing out on the $13 trillion global disability market.
Rajab’s friends encouraged him to try again, this time at a different branch. Bolstered by allies and more years of advocacy experience, Rajab showed another skeptical manager how he navigates websites using screenreading software called NVDA that reads out loud everything on his laptop. Listening through headphones he can check his balance or pay bills privately and independently. The manager hesitated, so Rajab continued. His smartphone’s screenreading software allows him to use accessible apps, including apps that will identify paper bills. The manager finally agreed, and the bank gained a great customer.
Now Rajab works to remove barriers for blind and other disabled people. Rajab graduated from the University of Dar es Salaam and founded Youth with Disabilities Organization. He teaches financial and digital literacy to disabled youth in Tanzania, while also advocating for institutions to become more accessible. He earned a coveted fellowship with Disability Rights California, and I had the honor of meeting him during his trip to the US.