New AbleChildAfrica Chair to take mission forward
We are pleased to announce that Steve Broach has taken over as our Chair of Trustees, succeeding Tim David. Steve was elected as Chair at last week’s trustee meetings. Steve will now lead AbleChild’s trustees in a review of the organisation’s strategy as well as driving forward our fundraising effort.
Steve says:
‘I am delighted to take over as chair of AbleChildAfrica at such a critical time in our development. We need to build our partnerships with organisations working with disabled children and their families across Africa to realise our vision of a world in which all young disabled people are able to achieve their full potential. To do this, we need AbleChildAfrica to be a strong and stable organisation, so my first focus will be on building our resources so we can provide even better support to our current and future partners. I am looking forward to working with our director Mary Ann and all our colleagues to make this happen’
Time to end the silence?
Last Wednesday the government of South Africa will hold the 1Goal summit calling on the world to make sure that an estimated 72 million children who don’t currently go to primary school get a chance to go to school, just like you and I did.
What’s worrying about 1Goal is that it is silent about disability. In Uganda, where we have worked for 25 years, 87% of all children go to primary school but this figure falls to 25% for disabled children. An estimated 8% of children in Uganda have a disability which means almost 1 million disabled children are missing out on this vital time in their lives.
In Tanzania where the headline data suggests that primary school attendance is up to 98% overall the government admits that less that 1% of disabled children attend – in that case it seems that disabled children, around 1.5m of them, are simply not being counted as children at all.
If you agree with me that it is not good enough that 1Goal is silent about disability and that it risks ‘forgetting about’ disabled children yet again please lend us your support now. Sign our online petition and make a donation if you are able to support the continuation of our valuable and important work in this area.
But cutting through this gloomy picture there are rays of light. On our website you can read more about Florence, a young woman from Uganda who succeeded in achieving her dreams and overcoming the barriers she experienced as a disabled woman born in a rural village.
Florence will be joining our Kilimanjaro climb on 25th November this year. If you are interested in getting involved by climbing or supporting the climb in some other way please email me now.
Juliet’s Great Swim
Next weekend, Juliet Turnbull will be swimming for us in the Great British Swim held in Central London!
The Challenge is to swim a one-mile swim in the heart of the capital http://www.greatswim.org/
The Royal Victoria Dock, venue of the British Gas Great London Swim, is situated in the East End of London near Canary Wharf in the London Borough of Newham.
The one-mile course will be set against the magnificent London skyline, with views of Canary Wharf and the rejuvenated London Docklands area, providing the perfect backdrop for a Great Swim.
For many the biggest challenge of the British Gas Great London Swim may be overcoming the fear of swimming in the Thames. However contrary to popular belief the water quality is in fact very good and is acknowledged to be one of the cleanest metropolitan rivers in the world. This is largely down to the Thames being tidal.
We we are really pleased to have Juliet, who is the daughter of one of our Trustees swimming for us in add of our life changing work with disabled children and, if you are impressed as we are by her attempt to swim in the Thames please consider contributing to her fundraising at http://www.justgiving.com/Juliet-Turnbull0
Florence is one in a million
We are currently running a campaign asking supporters to sign up to Give Every Disabled Child the Right to an Education. Florence works as a campaigner with USDC our partner organisation in Uganda. Her story shows just how important an education is in making a difference to the life chances of disabled children in Africa.
Florence was born in what she herself discribes as ’a very humble back ground’ to Mr. and Mrs. Kayizzi Francis in Mukono district in Uganda in October 1983. She was premature and in an incubator for three months. Having developed fully into a baby, her parents realized ten days later that she could not see. They took her to the hospital for medical examination. Following four operations before the age of four years doctors failed to help her cornea to develop. Florence told me her story:
The Doctor advised my parents to take me to a special school for the blind because he believed that I would never see and some doctors made unhelpful suggestions about the cause of my visual impairment; they said that perhaps my mother took pills that could have caused the miscarriage or that both parents had STDS - on medical examination they found none.
My mother accepted me as a child who was God-given and she said that God had a purpose for creating me the way I am. Although she faced several accusations from my family members contending that she had brought a misfortune to the entire family and clan, that did not discourage her at all. She loved me so much and took good care of me.
At the age of five years, she took me to school to start my primary education. My mother was a housewife and did not have any money. She had other young children and she used to knit table clothes from which she gained income for providing my essentials while at school. My father too realized that I could study but I was never the first priority. My first school was Spire Road Primary School in Jinja and I was there for only one year.
From primary two to primary seven, I went to Bishop Wills Demonstration School in Iganga district. My parents would always take me to school but without enough money to pay the fees. I used to sing so well and with that, I got a sponsor who paid for my entire primary education. I completed my primary education in 1996 with top grades.
I joined senior one at St. Francis School for the blind Madera in Soroti district with the help of Father Widmyre the then parish priest of MBIKO parish where my parents lived. He paid my fees for two years and when he was living for Kotido, he referred me to Lilliane foundation who paid my fees up senior six. I got excellent grades at O level and joined Iganga secondary school for A level. I passed and got government sponsorship for law.
I joined Makerere university faculty of law in 2003 and graduated in 2008. While at the university, I held several leadership positions. I was a commissioner for national youth council elections, guild representative for C.C.E constituency, deputy speaker Makerere university disabled students association, minister for disability faculty of law, female youth representative on the national committee of NUDIPU, the national disabled people’s unioin in Uganda. I received a presidential award for being the best affirmative action student. I also pursued a post graduate diploma in legal practice though I still have some issues. I did my clerkship at the parliament of the republic of Uganda with the department of legislative services and my work was commendable. During the three months at parliament, I drafted petitions, notices of motion, summarized acts and bills, and gave legal opinion/advice during parliamentary committees.
I attained other trainings with the British council as a trainer of trainees on debate to action and the millennium development goals which included proposal writing, project planning and management, and marketing among others. I was also trained by the African Union of the Blind on knowledge on democracy and development and this taught me issues of advocacy and leadership. With this training, I implemented a project in the central region of piggery and goat rearing which was very successful.
I also facilitate in schools to help build students self esteem and I am currently employed as a programme officer lobbying and advocacy at the Uganda Society for Disabled Children in Kampala.
My work involves advocating for the rights of children with disabilities, developing policies for the staff and the parent support groups, simplifying the legal instruments for the child rights clubs and the parent support groups, sensitizing these groups about the fundamental rights of children with disabilities, popularizing the convention on the rights of persons with disabilities whenever required. I also attend important meetings and workshops for the cause of children with disabilities and also make presentations on deferent topics on different fora.
I think Florence’s story speaks for itself which is why I have used her words for most of this blog post. Sadly very few disabled girls in Africa are able to excel like this. The Canadian International Development Agency puts it like this, ‘Women with disabilities are the poorest of the poor around the world and in ever sphere of life, women with disabilities in the developing world experience a triple bind; they are discriminated against because they are women, because they are disabled and because they are from the developing world. There are few educational opportunities for disabled girls. When there are opportunities for education in special schools, boys usually recieve them. Women with disabilities expereince a high incidence of abuse – physical, emotional and sexual. Since most disabled women are hidden away in homes, this often happens within the family. The unemployment rate for disabled women in developing countries is virtually 100%’.
So you see Florence really is one in a million, and that, is why her story is so vitally importanat to me…..
By supporting our campaign you can help us make sure that many more disabled girls have opportunities to excel like Florence has. In November she plans to climb Kilimanjaro with our fundraisers to help make a difference, can you help us to by signing our petition or even signing up to climb Kilimanjaro yourself?
Smiles party success
The charity night at Boujis in South Kensington on 9th June was a massive sucess. So many lovely people came out to support us and raised £5000 on the night to support surgery for disabled children which will take place in Uganda later in the year. We have also raised over £2,500 online before and after the party. We were blown away by the generosity of so many of you, Thank You Thank You Thank You. There is still time to lend your support to this initiative and boost the Smiles total so that even more children can benefit from the life changing surgery which they so desperately need. To give click here. Every little helps. We will be holding couple more events for Smiles over the summer so watch this space for more news!
Evelyn Glennie lends her support to our campaign
Evelyn Glennie, an AbleChildAfrica patron and an inspiring musician and composer, has lent her support to our Ready, Willing and Able campaign which is asking that more disabled children are enabled to achieve their right to education. Evelyn believes passionately that:
“All children have a contribution to the future regardless of their abilities – our task is to enable, empower, support and guide their precious journeys”.
We very much agree and hope that you do too and will lend your support by emailing us at ready@ablechildafrica.org.uk and signing our online petition by clicking on this link http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/give-every-disabled-child-the-right-to-an-education/signatures.html
World Cup Opportunity
Could the World Cup help give every disabled child the right to an education?
On Wednesday 7th July – not far from the World Cup semi final (hopefully featuring England) –world leaders will gather in Cape Town to discuss the UN’s goal of giving every child the right to an education by 2015
The summit is inspired by the 1Goal campaign that FIFA president, Sepp Blatter, says could ‘enable 72 million African children who do not attend primary school currently to do so’
But one crucial thing appears to be missing from the 1Goal Education campaign summit, and that is a recognition that around two thirds of those 72 million children are disabled and need specialist help and support to help give them the education they deserve
As the only UK charity focused on helping some of Africa’s 50 million disabled children to get the best possible start in life, we know from experience that if we do not take specific action to help disabled children get an education, then tens of millions of African children will continue to be excluded from school
We strongly support the aims of the 1Goal campaign – which has the backing of a wide range of footballers, fans, charities, corporations and individuals
And we believe that with the right support and education, disabled people can play a vital role in Africa’s future development
So by joining forces, the disabled community in the UK can ensure that the voices of disabled children in Africa are heard loud and clear at next month’s World Cup Education Summit
And you can help us to do this by backing our call to world leaders at the World Cup Education Summit to:
“Give every disabled child in the world the right to an education”
If you are happy to support this call then please take action today and sign our online petition now at:
http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/give-every-disabled-child-the-right-to-an-education.html
It’s the best way to help us ensure that Africa’s 50 million disabled children are amongst winners at this summer’s World Cup finals
Shikuku’s Challenge
Shikuku Obosi is one of AbleChildAfrica’s Trustees. He was born in Kenya and suffered from polio as a child causing a physical disability. His disability has not stopped Shikuku from having a career in International Development. I first met him on a project visit to Kenya almost ten years ago. Since then he has worked in India, Sri Lanka and is currently responsible for a number of programmes at Action of Disability and Development who are based here in the UK.
Shikuku passionately believes that we need to demonstrate just how much young disabled people are capable of achieving and so he has pledged to join the team climbing Kilimanjaro in November. Along with other young disabled people who are involved in our projects Shikuku will help us to make the point that Disability really isn’t inability and that, consequently, young disabled people should be supported to achieve their rights.
Watch this space for more about the Kilimanjaro Climb and Shikuku’s participation in it! To support him go to www.justgiving.com/shikuku-obosi
Triple Marathon Challenge
Unbelieveably John Thornton has pledged to go for the triple this year when he takes part in not one but three Marathon’s in support of AbleChildAfrica in 2010. John’s triple challenge starts with London which, this year, is on April 25th. After that he will be off to Edinburgh to run another marathon 4 weeks later on 23rd May and finally he will complete the Triple Marathon Challenge in Berlin on the 26th September! How’s that for serious marathon action? If you are as impressed as I am, perhaps you will think about supporting John’s efforts? He also has his own website where you can track his training and find out more!
The spirit in which John has set himself such an ambitious challenge is inspiring to me. When I first came to work at AbleChildAfrica I’d never thought of undertaking physical challenges like these! Yet here I am 6 years, a Marathon, a Triathlon and a Half Marathon later. I hardly have the shape for it and, I have to confess, I dont always throughly enjoy it (!) but I love the discipline of setting yourself a challenge and going for it! These physical challenges have taught me a lot about focus and determination and keeping going when the going gets tough. I always say that as long as your ‘reasonably fit’ most people can physically achieve these challenges – yes they are hard and, you might not be fast – but your body can rise to the challenge! The question is always whether your mind can rise to the challenge? Whether you want to suceed enough? When I was struggling (and I mean struggling) around Silverstone in the Half Marathon earlier this month I quite literally kept myself going by thinking about the people we work with. By remembering the times when I have visited children in villages in Africa who have been kept locked up inside because their parents are afraid and ashamed of their disability, by thinking of the women, mothers of disabled children who have given up their lives to change the lives of their children and by remembering that Anne, who had polio as a child in Africa herself was racing ahead of me and wouldnt be impressed if I gave up!
John will need all the mental courage and positive thinking he can muster to make it through 3 marathons this year. Why not give him a push by leaving a comment on his website or a donation on his giving page. Every little positive action – when they are all stuck together – can make the changes we want to see in this world.
Silverstone Triumph!
Anne Wafula-Strike did us proud on Sunday by completing the Silverstone Half Marathon in just 1 hour 25 mins 53 seconds. I took much longer coming in just over 3 hours (and basically walking the second half due to an unhappy calf muscle!). From the start we said that our finishing times didn’t matter but that the money we could raise for disabled children most certainly did. We have so far raised about £1,000 and we are still asking in the hope of edging nearer to our original target of £10,000. You can make your contribution at by clicking on this link. We really want our windy race around Silverstone to make a difference to more children’s lives and give more young disabled people in Africa a chance like the chances we have both had.
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