Worldwide, it has been estimated that there are nearly 240 million children with disabilities, of whom 28.9 million live in eastern and southern Africa.

At Sightsavers, we advocate for inclusive education to ensure children and young people with disabilities can learn alongside their peers. In Zambia, we’re working in the Chinsali district of Muchinga province to strengthen inclusive education for the long term.

The Tusambilile Chapamo Let’s Learn Together project started in February 2021 and is running until January 2025 as a partnership implemented by the Republic of Zambia Ministry of Education, Zambia Federation of Disability Organisations (ZAFOD) and Sightsavers, and co-funded by the European Union.

The initiative aims to improve educational opportunities for children and young people with disabilities, from pre-school through to secondary and tertiary education, as well as helping them transition from education to employment. It particularly focuses on empowering young women and girls, who experience high levels of discrimination and exclusion.

The project ensures teachers have the skills to support children and young people with disabilities and make educational environments inclusive, so that everyone can learn and thrive together. It also supports community members, organisations of people with disabilities and policymakers to advocate for inclusive education by spreading the message about the importance of disability inclusion.