Ashoka brought together Fellows from all over the globe for an initiative geared towards building transnational relationships, identifying common themes and devising collaborative projects. Face to face meetings and activities in the launching stage opened up a world of possibilities for learning, sharing and growing, and ultimately laid a new foundation for cross-country collaboration in tackling the various aspects of disability issues in society. Ashoka’s innovative, entrepreneurial spirit fostered this productive, collaborative environment, resulting in both short and long-term commitments between Fellows and as a group.

(Dis)ability Initiative is a joint effort of top leaders in disabilities around the world. It is targeted at: 

• exchange of experience and
• promoting and implementing change-making innovations of Ashoka Fellows globally.

(Dis)Ability Initiative was launched in 2007 by a group of Ashoka Fellows and Staff, who understood the potential of Ashoka Fellows collaboration on disability issues. It was started by a small group of powerful leaders and a number of other Fellows later joined the effort to change the world of the disabled. A meeting in Warsaw, Poland, in March 2008, was a turning point of the initiative, where the strategy of the collaboration was worked out.

(Dis)Ability Initiative brand stands for three projects:

• Book on best practices in disabilities
• Ashoka Gives a Voice Website
• Inclusion week – celebration of social inclusion of people with and without disabilities,

all three being elements of GLOBAL SOCIAL CAMPAIGN in disabilities.