What We Believe

The Need

In a world of over 6.5 billion people, approximately 600 million individuals live with disabilities. These range from developmental impairments to profound physical disabilities that require the use wheelchairs and other devices to live on a day-to-day basis. The combination of physical limitations, psychological adjustment to living with a disability, and lack of community understanding and resources have a profound impact in how persons with disabilities view themselves and their capacity to live enriched meaningful lives.

Our Mission

The Global Abilities Foundation (GAF) seeks to increase cultural understanding and provide resources to help persons with disabilities become independent productive members of society across the globe. By providing education, assistive technology and adaptive tools, and instilling motivation by focusing on ability rather that disability, we empower individuals to excel in school, work, and social life.

Brief History

The Global Abilities Foundation (GAF) is a nonprofit organization helping persons with disabilities (PWD) in the United States and in developing countries. Through our programs, we empower PWD to become vibrant, active members of their communities. Our work includes advocacy and awareness training for disability issues in the United States, spreading the benefits of adapted recreation, and teaching persons with disabilities in developing countries vocational skills.

GAF was founded in 2011 to address significant gaps in current programs helping persons with disabilities (PWD) reintegrate into society. Our US-based work focuses on adapted recreation and increasing access to disability-related resources. The marquee event is the Rec Fest, a large recreation expo for all ages and abilities. Internationally, GAF’s community reintegration projects include accessible transportation, livelihood training, and mentoring. In 2012 GAF built the first wheelchair accessible vehicles in Sri Lanka, and we are currently running a skills workshop to teach vocational skills to individuals with spinal cord injuries. Check out the OUR WORK page for details of our work.

AJ Nanayakkara,   
Founder of Global Abilities

GAF will host a CrossFit Ability Workout of the Day on March 1st, 2014. For more info click on logo.

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Invite Global Abilities Founder AJ to speak at your next event.

Support Global Abilities

“Donations to GAF are tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. We also welcome employer-matching contributions. Please contact your HR representative for details.”