This summer MIUSA had the unique opportunity to convene both the 11th Women’s Institute on Leadership and Disability (WILD) as well as the 11th Global Disability and Development Institute (GDDI) in Eugene, Oregon. The 20 WILD delegates arrived from Armenia, Bangladesh, Benin, Bhutan, Colombia, Guatemala, India, Indonesia, Liberia, Malawi, Mexico, Mozambique, Pakistan, Peru, Romania, Tanzania, Thailand, and Zimbabwe. What unifies them is their passionate spark to ignite change for disabled girls and women in their home countries. Read about the WILD program.
GDDI is a 3-day conference and retreat which brings professionals from the international development and humanitarian assistance communities together with WILD delegates. We pivoted to a hybrid format for the first time, allowing both in-person and virtual participation. Together, WILD delegates and GDDI participants explored how disabled women are driving change across economic empowerment, philanthropy, peace-building, health, and more – not only as beneficiaries, but as leaders and decision-makers. Read about GDDI.
MIUSA welcomed 21 young leaders with disabilities from around the world to Eugene from August 15-20, all of whom were selected as participants of two prestigious high school exchange scholarship programs, for five days of learning, connecting, and preparing for a successful and accessible exchange year in the U.S.! Read about the arrival program.
In the spring, MIUSA taught our interdisciplinary course, Global Perspectives on Disability, at the University of Oregon. The class introduced students to the history and development of disability rights movements across the world, the importance of utilizing a human rights perspective, and the key international laws and policies used to advance disability rights. Read about the course.
Since 1996, MIUSA has implemented the National Clearinghouse on Disability and Exchange, a project designed to increase the participation of people with disabilities in international exchange between the United States and other countries, with support from the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. To commemorate this milestone, the National Clearinghouse on Disability and Exchange will soon be publishing a special edition of the A World Awaits You (AWAY) Journal celebrating its 30th Anniversary! Learn about NCDE.
In 2025, MIUSA welcomed new organizations to its membership initiative, Excellence in Development and Disability Inclusion (EDDI), and connected members to potential new partners, contacts, services, vendors, and other resources. MIUSA was also proud to serve as an Impact Partner to the MacArthur Foundation and its nonprofit affiliate Lever for Change to advise on practices that promote disability inclusion and leadership in their global challenges. Lever for Change recently received InterAction’s Disability Inclusion Award and recognized MIUSA for its role in their achievement. Read Lever for Change’s post.
In Kenya, we supported our MIUSA alumni experts to lead a training for Namati staff about including people with disabilities not only as participants, but as leaders who can work alongside Namati in its powerful work in land rights and other social justice issues. Read about the Namati training.
In March 2025, MIUSA hosted a virtual reunion for MIUSA alumni to reconnect with MIUSA staff and homestay families. The goals were to celebrate alumni accomplishments, share in our amazing community of global changemakers, and make calls to action toward MIUSA’s mission of advancing disability rights and leadership globally®. With about 100 MIUSA alumni and homestay families tuning in from 46 countries spanning the globe (and time zones!), the event surpassed our wildest dreams! Read about the alumni reunion.
In addition, it has been a joy to connect with some of MIUSA’s outstanding alumni leaders around the world over the last months, many of whom serve as our advisors and consultants. We are excited to learn about their latest efforts and accomplishments, as well as their ideas for how MIUSA can continue to be innovative in the new year.
Because this has been a difficult year for MIUSA, given losses in federal funds, some of our incredible donors have stepped up to increase their donations, even by as much as $5000! We hope you, too, will consider doing whatever you can to donate to MIUSA or increase your tax-deductible donation before the end of the year so we can accelerate the work that we are doing.
We wish each of you a joyful, meaningful and healthy new year. I am so grateful to all of our supporters, donors homestay families, and everyone who has worked so hard to continue to ensure that we are creating a more just and equitable world for people with disabilities and our allies throughout the world!
With much love and gratitude, we move forward, onward, and upward into 2026.
Susan Sygall
CEO
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Here are three ways to support MIUSA in its work to advance disability rights and leadership globally®:
General Support
Your support ensures that we can continue the life-changing work of advancing the rights of people with disabilities. Whether your tax-deductible donation supports a scholarship for a woman with a disability to become a new leader, or provides funding for activities that engage our community, your donations are supporting the programs that make a real difference in the lives of disabled people worldwide.Women’s Leadership Fund
MIUSA’s signature Women’s Institute on Leadership and Disability (WILD) has trained grassroots women activists with disabilities from around the world to become leaders in their communities. Make your donation online to support women and girls worldwide.Scholarship Fund
Did a MIUSA exchange program impact your life? A donation to the Mike and Lisa Sygall Scholarship Fund supports others to have the same life-changing international exchange experience. Just write in “Scholarship Fund” in the designation line when you make your donation online.
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