S4 E3 Ubuntu in Disability Systems Change with Dr. Makhaya Malema, University of Western Cape - South Africa

In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Makhaya Malema, avisiting scholar from the University of Western Cape in South Africa, who is visiting UMKC through a university partnership focused on learning about our disability networks. Dr. Malema shares his insights on disability leadership in leisure and recreation, while exploring the powerful concepts of Ubuntu and the disability rights slogan Nothing About Us Without Us. We discuss strategies for reducing exclusions in community spaces and emphasize the importance of including individuals with disabilities in decision-making to ensure true equity. Tune in for a thought-provoking conversation on disability inclusion and leadership.

Resources in this episode:

• Ubuntu definition: Ubuntu describes a set of closely related Bantu African-origin value systems that emphasize the interconnectedness of individuals with their surrounding societal and physical worlds. "Ubuntu" is sometimes translated as "I am because we are", or "humanity towards others".

• National Council for Persons with Disabilities: https://ncpd.org.za/

• University of Western Cape: https://www.uwc.ac.za/

• To read more of Dr. Malema's research: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Makhaya-Malema

Acronym Guide:

UCEDD: University Center for Excellence in DevelopmentalDisabilities

LEND: Leadership Education in NeurodevelopmentalDisabilities

Interview Transcript: https://ihd.umkc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/021925-Makhaya-Malema-Transcript-2.pdf

For more information about UMKC-Institute for HumanDevelopment, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ihd.umkc.edu