In Sub-Saharan Africa, the prevalence of disabilities in children aged 0 – 14 years is unkown, with published estimates ranging from 6% to over 20%. What’s more, 90-98% of children with special needs are assumed to be out of school. This leads to incredibly low literacy rates (only 3% of adults with special needs in Sub-Saharan Africa are literate) and severely limited professional opportunities.
Our Response
Through the Home-Based Education Programme, we identify children with special needs in our communities and develop individualised education and care plans to accelerate their development. These education plans are delivered firstly in children’s homes, in conjunction with their guardians, by community caregivers who have received extensive training on the biological, psychological and social challenges faced by people with differences. We strive to enrol at least 75% of the children into formal schools and ensure 100% of guardians have the biological and practical knowledge required to effectively manage their children’s development.
When we piloted the programme in 2016, only 10% of children of school-going age with developmental conditions were enrolled in school. Of this same pilot cohort, 93% are enrolled in school in 2025. We have made significant strides over the last few years, with 16 teachers’ assistants now trained and deployed to primary schools to implement inclusive education, and we have supported 61 community caregivers with financial literacy and business management courses. The programme focuses primarily on the 134 children with special needs, however our activities also directly benefit close to 5,000 family members, community caregivers, parents, and teachers across our focal areas.