Voices from Sierra Leone: the stories of female students with disabilities

In Sierra Leone, children with disabilities are often left behind and considered not worth educating. For girls, the discrimination can be two-fold.

Girls with disabilities often struggle to get to schools that are far from their homes. At school, they often face a lack of accessible toilets and hygiene assistance, while special devices and services are often given to boys first.

As part of the Education for All project, Sightsavers has worked with 45 schools across the country, to ensure more than 800 girls and boys with disabilities can gain an education.

To ensure our work was as effective as possible, we trained teachers and parents of children with disabilities as community researchers to interview children with disabilities, and those in a similar situation, to identify the barriers that were preventing them from accessing an inclusive, quality education.

“The other children always mock her, sometimes seriously. They ask her to not sit by them, because they believe that they will also be afflicted by the same problem. When she gets home, she cries and doesn’t want to go back.” Tenneh*, mother of a child with disabilities

“I want to be somebody. With education I have a brighter future.” Ibrahim*, male student with disabilities

“Some people believe that these children have nothing to offer. They think they should be excluded from schooling activities because, at the end of the day, they can’t achieve anything.” Aminata*, mother of a child with disabilities

“Sometimes disabled children feel isolated when their colleagues run away from them, due to their physical appearance or their situation. Some children reject their colleagues.” Abdul*, teacher

“I cannot walk well, and people laugh at me because of my physical problem.” Fatou*, female student with disabilities

“They need accessible toilets. The children find it hard to use the toilets the [non-disabled] children are using.” Michael*, father of a child with disabilities

“There is now a great sense of motivation among the disabled children. They believe that disability is not inability.” Doris*, teacher

“The coming of this project has made our children feel like they belong and [they] have seen themselves as humans. In previous years they have not been treated as if they are humans, so [that] alone is a development.” Marai*, mother of a child with disabilities

“At first, disabled children were seen as a lost cause and were discouraged, but through the intervention of this organisation the parents have got hope and have realised that their children can be successful. Disability does not mean the children cannot be successful.” Musa*, teacher

“We have seen massive changes in our children. Before this time they were reluctant to go to school, but the inception of the project has made them willing, and for me that is a very big change.” Mariama*, mother of a child with disabilities.

“I like to be in school because every day I learn more things and it will help me in the future.” Joseph*, male student with disabilities

“I like coming to school and making friends. The encouragement I receive from teachers and fellow students is why I like coming to school.” Hassanatou*, male student with disabilities