Expanding Inclusive Education Strategies for Girls with Disabilities Kenya

Project completed implementation in March 2022

Leonard Cheshire's project aimed to increase the educational and vocational opportunities of 2,260 girls with disabilities in five counties within the Lake Region of Kenya. It tackled the specific barriers that girls with disabilities face in order to improve their quality of life, skills and livelihood opportunities.

The girls in this project were helped to transition through primary into secondary school, vocational training and self-employment, or adult education and home learning programmes. In tandem, the project worked to build positive attitudes and community support for disabled children. It also worked with families to create households that are willing and able to support the girls' journey through to adulthood and beyond.

Activities

• Developed literacy and numeracy learning materials adapted for children with disabilities to reach 5,000 children in 50 schools
• Ran 50 children’s clubs, reaching around 20,000 children, which encourage leadership and the sharing of experiences of girls with disabilities
• Provided transportation and assistive learning devices to allow girls to attend school
• Provided health assessments and psycho-social support to beneficiary girls
• Assisted with school-going costs while also providing income generating activities to encourage households to be economically self-sufficient
• Created positive attitudes towards disability through community activities and parent support groups
• Worked with key government ministries to ensure that the project contributes to the government’s agenda including a comprehensive Inclusive Education Policy

Leonard Cheshire: https://www.leonardcheshire.org/