Improving integration of and access to educative materials for children with visual impairment

  • P Project/Program

I Inactive

Key Information

In Ethiopia, 95 percent of all persons with disabilities are estimated to live in poverty (Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs). Many depend on family support and begging for their livelihoods. In the project, ECYDO partnered with Support and Care for Persons with Disabilities Association, which runs a school for 20 children with visual impairment in Bishoftu, offering 1st and 2nd grade. The children there learn to read and write in Braille. However, after the two years they must enter a regular school. Due to the high number of pupils in the classes, no special attention can be given to the children with visual impairment. Moreover, there is a lack of educative materials for children with visual impairment that makes the integration even more difficult. In the project, ECYDO has equipped the children with basic tablets with audio accessibility application so that they can listen to audio books, record classes, find information on internet and purchased an embosser (a Braille printer) for printing new textbooks in Braille. ECYDO recorded 5 audio textbooks, organized teachers training to enhanced their sensitivity and skills in teaching children with disabilities, and community awareness events to eliminate persisting stigmas about disability. The project involved local governments and community leaders to support children and people with disabilities.


Location(s)

Sub-Saharan Africa

Ethiopia

Government Affiliation

Government-affiliated program

Years

2019 - 2019

Partner(s)

Support and Care for Persons with Disabilities Association, Finote Tehadeso Leakai Gudatgna Setoch Mahiber (FTLGSM)

Ministry Affiliation

Local governments

Funder(s)

Czech Republic Development Cooperation, Children's Right and Violence Protection Fund (CRVPF)

COVID-19 Response

Adapted

Geographic Scope

National

Meets gender-transformative education criteria from the TES  

Unknown

Areas of Work Back to Top

Education areas

Other

  • Early childhood development

Other skills

  • Financial literacy
  • Life skills/sexuality education
  • Rights/empowerment education
  • Social and emotional learning

Quality

  • School-related gender-based violence
  • Teacher training

Skills

  • Civics education
  • Other academic performance-related

Cross-cutting areas

  • Community sensitization
  • Empowerment
  • Gender equality
  • Social and gender norms and beliefs

Program participants

Target Audience(s)

Boys (both in school and out of school), Community leaders, Girls (both in school and out of school), Parent-teacher associations/school management committees, Teachers - female, Teachers - male, Youth

Age

Not applicable or unknown

School Enrolment Status

Some in school

School Level

  • Lower primary
  • Upper primary

Other populations reached

  • Fathers
  • Mothers
  • Other caregivers
  • Other community members - female
  • Other community members - male
  • Religious leaders
  • School administrators

Participants include

  • People with disabilities

Program Approaches Back to Top

Community engagement/advocacy/sensitization

  • General awareness-raising/community engagement
  • Technical assistance/capacity building to civil society organizations or governments

Curriculum/learning

  • Gender-sensitive curricula
  • Increased availability of learning materials

Educational Technology

  • Computer-assisted learning

Increased availability of learning materials

  • Textbooks (digital)

Life skills education

  • Social and emotional learning (SEL) skills building

Mentoring/psychosocial support

  • Teachers as mentors

Policy/legal environment

  • Advocating changes to existing laws/policies

Reducing economic barriers

  • Addressing cost of school supplies

Social/gender norms change

  • Engaging parents/caregivers of students or school-age children/adolescents
  • Work with community leaders
  • Work with religious leaders

Tutoring/strengthening academic skills

  • Literacy - in the classroom
  • Literacy - outside the classroom

Women's empowerment programs

  • Advocacy/action

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Program Goals Back to Top

Education goals

  • Improved academic skills (literacy and numeracy)
  • Improved critical thinking
  • Improved social and emotional learning/skills and mindsets
  • Increased literacy
  • Increased primary school completion
  • Increased progression to secondary school
  • Reduced absenteeism

Cross-cutting goals

  • Changed social norms
  • Improved critical consciousness
  • Increased advocacy/civic engagement

Additional Information Back to Top

Primary Contact

Sisay Tarekegn
Eshet Children and Youth Development Organization (ECYDO)
Executive Director
+251911484666