Juliet is a bright, bubbly, confident thirteen-year old. She also has hydrocephalus and low vision.
Her parents initially found it very hard to come to terms with their daughter’s disability and influenced by stigma and shame, didn’t send Juliet to school.
At the age of 7, Juliet was still missing out. That was until other children with disabilities in her area, who had been encouraged to be advocates for the inclusion of all children with disabilities as part of our programme with CST, reached out to her.
Through conversations and outreach, Juliet’s parents joined a parent support group, where they received counselling and were introduced to children with disabilities who had gone on to thrive.
Their perspectives started to change, and with the new support in the community, they were inspired and registered Juliet at a local school.
Juliet wasted no time and loved studying so much that she was able to catch up with her peers very quickly.
I love being in school because I am learning to depend on myself. I am no longer isolated and it feels great that we are learning together in an inclusive setting.
– Juliet
Juliet has excelled beyond all expectations and is now a powerful advocate for disability rights. She has trained other children on child rights and has personally helped bring about tangible changes in the lives of other children with disabilities.
I am active Inclusive Education Ambassador. I teach my fellow students who do not have disabilities that they should not ignore children who do. Having a disability doesn’t mean life is over. We are happy to be ourselves and able to do anything.
– Juliet
