Trust Over Power
From far-off lands, in a different continent, Isabella Oriani has found her life purpose in rural coastal Kenya. She prefers trust over power, believing it multiplies the strength, confidence, and success of her team.
Oriani believes leadership is both innate and improved through experience. To her, leadership means service nurturing an environment that allows everyone to perform their best. She values inspiring teams by developing and sharing vision while allowing them to define processes and implement good working tools.
A Global Perspective on Leadership
An Italian currently living in Sweden, Oriani spent most of her career working in programs advancing social and economic development in Africa. She started in humanitarian aid before transitioning to development. Realizing the power and impact of business in advancing development, she became involved in social enterprises over the last decade.
Under her leadership, The Accessibility Institute (TAI) has grown from a project into an established organization that has changed the lives of about 2,500 beneficiaries. Ninety-five percent of their beneficiaries who use SafariSeat wheelchairs report radical life improvement. The family income of 35% of beneficiaries has increased as a result.
Inclusion at the Core
Inclusion is at the core of TAI's business, with its mission to support persons with disabilities on their path out of poverty and exclusion. Oriani continuously works to make the public see the "hidden reality" of disability, challenging the narrative from viewing persons with disabilities as burdens to recognizing them as active community members.
Advice for Change-Makers
Her advice to young change-makers is simple: “Start small, be clear on your passion, but stay flexible in how to fulfill it.” Her life philosophy is equally straightforward: “Be kind, be fair, be smart, be strong.”
