Our Why
It is simple. Education has the power to make the world a better place and this is why we are on a mission to solve the education crisis for girls and children with disabilities.
We initiate transformation at the local level, partnering with parents, communities and local governments to organize around education, health & well-being, gender equality and reduced inequalities. With education as the organizing principle of the community, our works become the engine of sustainable development.
Nearly 29 million children with disabilities live in Eastern and Southern Africa alone. Each of them – like every child in the world – has the right to be nurtured and supported through responsive care and education, to receive adequate nutrition and social protection, and to enjoy play and leisure time. Too often, however, such rights are denied. The reasons vary: stigma, lack of accessible services, institutionalization and physical barriers. But the consequences are sadly consistent. When marginalized from society, these children’s chances to survive and thrive are diminished, along with their prospects for a bright future.
Monitoring the inclusion of children with disabilities in development efforts has long been held back by the lack of reliable and comprehensive data.
Children with disabilities face poverty traps: denied education, they lack the skills for future employment. Violence becomes a grim reality, with these children four times more likely to experience physical or sexual abuse. The situation for girls with disabilities is even more dire, with a tenfold risk of gender-based violence. Many languish in institutions isolated from families, while those fortunate enough to reach schools often drop out due to stigma and lack of support.
Despite progress in education access, children with disabilities remain excluded. This broken promise has far-reaching implications. Without education, they are condemned to a life of financial hardship. The potential of future leaders and innovators lies dormant, buried beneath a system that fails to recognize their worth.