Angel is six years old and lives in Zambia with her mother.
When Angel was born, she was diagnosed with cerebral palsy which is a physical disability that can affect movement and posture.
As was the norm in the area in Zambia they live in, teachers used to segregate children in the classroom. Angel’s mother also faced challenges in providing enough food for her. As such, Angel was not getting what she needed to learn and develop.
What’s more, the attitude of Angel’s family towards her was not a positive as they did not understand her disability or know what rights she deserved. Support for both Angel and her mother was scarce.
This is where Able Child Africa came in.
When the project commenced with our partner Zambia Association of Parents of Children with Disabilities (ZAPCD), teachers in the area were trained in inclusive early education and given the tools to better understand their classrooms, meaning Angel began to receive the support she needed to learn. Angel’s teachers began to look after her better and encouraged all the children to play together, with or without disability alike.
Through another element of the project, Angel’s mother was informed both of her daughter’s rights and of different financial and social tools to better support their lives. After learning about inclusive early education, and that Angel deserved the same rights as all other children, her family’s attitude towards her began to change.
“This project has made our lives easier in that it has helped me provide Angel with what she needs such as food, things for school, clothes and shoes. This is all because of the transport refunds that are now given to us.”
“I now have greater knowledge about the rights of children with disabilities, about Angel’s rights, and what inclusive education really means.”
– Angel’s Mother
