The Need

When Atieno started to have epileptic fits, she was shunned by her classmates and teachers and eventually forced to drop out of school.

When a polio attack left Vijay disabled, he was refused admission to school because the teachers didn’t think they could educate him because of his physical impairment.

Because one of Asha's legs was shorter than the other, she faced cruel mockery from her classmates, who told her they didn’t want her at school.

The experiences of these children show what prejudice, misunderstanding and practical obstacles disabled children face in many countries of the world. Too often people see the disability, not the person.

Disabled children are often ignored and left isolated and without support. Worse still, they are denied any opportunity to develop their abilities and build a life for themselves. It's shocking that an estimated 90% of disabled girls and boys have no access to education. And yet education is their only chance of improving their lives and
escaping from poverty.