Disability is often associated with failure and a goal limit, but wait till you know Enrika Mijumbi Kabagenyi. Today, we bring you the story of a successful youngster who has stood out of the crowd in the oddest way.
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Who Is Enrika Mijumbi Kabagenyi?
Enrika Mijumbi Kabagenyi is a Ugandan fashion model under Eiffel Models Ug who was born on 5th July 2008 with a hearing and speech impairment. Her parents got to know her condition when she was 8 months old. There was less knowledge on how she could be helped as hospitals were receiving fruitless trust. The girl enrolled in a special needs school for the deaf for kindergarten at the age of three years. She continued in the same school for her primary, currently, she’s in Senior One in a special deaf school. Enrika is popular as Super Model Enrika in the fashion world and she is the current Little Miss Ability Uganda.
How Did Enrika Mijumbi Kabagenyi Become A Model?
At 6 years of age, she showed interest in modelling. At the age of 8, she participated in the first-ever Little Miss Uganda Pageant that took place in 2017 breaking the stigmatization of deaf children and she was graced with three awards. These included Miss Rising Lady, Miss Confidence, and the 2nd Runner-up Little Miss Uganda; then in 2019, she took the Next Generation Honoree Award from The Malengo Foundation. Then she won East African influential model in Upendo Fashion Explosion.
The beautiful model later received a nomination for the UN Women’s Girl Child Award and in 2019, she is an award winner for the most outstanding queen. In 2017, Enrika was awarded the most inspiring kid modelling prize in 2021 and in 2022, she was awarded East Africa’s most influential kid model. She also has several certificates awarded to her. They include the Box it challenges, the Kampala kids fashion show, and the girl up achievement. Lastly, she showcased on Upendo Fashion Explosion 2022.
Activities Super Model Enrika Has Involved In
Enrika participated in the first-ever Little Miss Uganda pageant as the only girl with a disability in 2017. She contested against over 20 girls and took home three awards for standing up for children with disabilities.
Enrika has showcased on charity shows so as to inspire children and parents of children living with disabilities. This has been possible through the “Disability is not Inability, Yes we can” agenda. During these shows, children receive scholastic materials and sanitary towels to allow them to keep in school.
Enrika has held a fashion show of her own “Supermodel Enrika fashion show” under the theme “Be inspired”. This brought parents of children living with disabilities, Organizations, and media that have continued to spread awareness of how a girl with deafness has stood out. And also children have a right to be loved and can do anything.
Enrika has participated in little hands go green campaigns to teach children to protect the environment. Through these campaigns, children have received tree seedlings to plant both at home and in schools.
Other Activities
Enrika being a junior Malengo ambassador has held talk shows in schools like Entebbe Cambridge school. She talks to children about the rights of children especially children with disabilities with the slogan of the “Be Kind” campaign.
Through her ambassadorship, she has inspired children, parents, and the community she lives in. They now embrace inclusion with the theme “leave no one behind.” This has also created awareness that children have a right to be loved, educated, supported, and protected.
What Is Her Personality Like?
Enrika Mujumbi is an outgoing deaf girl; she adapts easily to the new environment and bonds with people easily the ones she feels secure with. Thankfully, her parents have accepted the child. They support the child’s activities financially, physically, and morally.
Where Has She Been A Topic Of Discussion?
Her motivation and inspiration story has appeared in newspapers and kids’ magazines. These include the new vision, Toto magazine, rainbow magazine, and Mixa Kids’ newspaper. Headlines on Televisions like NTV, BTV, NBS TV, Salt TV, and Kabalega TV. She has shown up on inspirational TV shows like the Youth Voice.
What Motivates Enrika Mijumbi Kabagenyi?
Children in Uganda with hearing and speech impairments are commonly regarded as stupid, and children with disabilities are marginalized. There are so many street children in Uganda who have been neglected by their parents. Amidst all this cruelty, Enrika’s parents supported her and this is what keeps motivating her.
What Plans Does She Have For Her Organization?
Enrika’s advocacy reaches only urban audiences of people and parents with a disability. Now, she would like to have a wider coverage of children with more focus on girls with disabilities in rural areas. To do this, Enrika Mijumbi looks forward to registering her Enrika Foundation. The organization will be helping in skilling the girl child, and children with disabilities and also supporting families with disabled parents. It will also run a common market for products produced under the foundation.
What Social Changes Has Enrika Mijumbi Kabagenyi Brought?
There is an increase in the transition of her peers from primary to secondary school not to marriages as before.
Children in her school and community have embraced inclusion.
There is a high boost in the confidence of children especially children living with disabilities in her community.
After the kid’s fashion runway with children with disabilities, there are more children joining the modelling industry and competing in kids’ pageants.
Children have greatly participated in environmental protection activities. They now use plastics to make art pieces and tree planting has grossly improved at homesteads.
Parents have started believing in their children and building their talents.
Awards Won By Super Model Enrika
#1. Little Miss Uganda 2017 Miss Rising Lady, Miss Confidence, 2nd runners up
#2. Malengo Junior Ambassador
#3. Next Generation Honoree 2019 award
#4. Certification of Appreciation Kampala Kids and Teens Fashion Show 2017
#5. Certificate of Achievement Box It challenges I Profile Foundation.
#6. East Africa Kid Model 2022 award
#7. Most inspirational kid model 2021 award
#8. UN Women awards children category Nominee 2019
Conclusion
It was such an awesome experience getting to know this young beautiful model. It indicates that disability has nothing to do with one’s abilities. Have you received inspiration from this story? What do you think and what do you learn from her story? Please go ahead and leave your thoughts in the comments section as I am excited to hear from you. We hope this story makes Africa a safer place for everyone out there.
