Counteracting dampeners: understanding technology-amplified capabilities of people with disabilities in Sierra Leone

Abstract

This paper presents an ethnographically-based account on the impact of technologies appropriated in the livelihood strategies of people with disabilities (PWDs) in Sierra Leone, West Africa. In contrast to other developing countries, Sierra Leone presents a situation where people with disabilities are socially marginalized but not necessarily wholly disadvantaged. Through a lens of technology-amplified capabilities we show how PWDs leverage information and communication technologies (ICTs) to counteract social dampeners they regularly experience that prevent their participation in society. We discuss the role of the war experience and its impact on services and attitudes towards people with disability and how disruptive contexts can open up opportunities to support and amplify existing life skills towards development goals.