In Ethiopia, life for those with disabilities is very tough. They not only have to deal with the difficulties associated with their disability in a country that often can't provide adequate services, but they must also deal with people's negatives attitudes towards them, a consequence of a lack of social education.

Ethiopiaid is proud to support Addis Development Vision (ADV), who work to change social attitudes towards disability in Ethiopia and to provide a future with access to education for those affected.

Integration at an early age

To reduce the stigma attached to disability, ADV integration begins with children as young as three years old. To provide more children access to formal education, ADV works to ensure that the disabled children in their program have places with schools that instil a non-discriminative atmosphere from the beginning. Furthermore, community and classroom education on the causes of disability have been introduced to promote acceptance and integration.

Louam in pre-school

Development starts at home

ADV has seen first-hand the advantages of having parents working at home with their children on therapeutic care, physical and mental development. Children with this assistance will progress much more rapidly than those without. To buoy such activities ADV provides care and rehabilitation for children in their own homes and provide training to parents so they can carry on ADV's work in its absence. ADV also carries out care work in its centre, giving parents and care-givers time for themselves. This leads to a more harmonious home life. 

A brighter future

To open up the possibilities available to disabled youths, that otherwise may never leave their homes and become self-sufficient, ADV provides tailored educational support and a vocational training centre. Students can choose from skills such as sewing, leather work and woodwork, developing the skills necessary to make shoes, clothes and furniture that would be otherwise unavailable to them. Many of the graduates start their own businesses upon leaving and others return to mentor new students - either way, a real sense of success is achieved.

Students learn how to make shoes

In some cases, there is only one bread-winner in the family to provide for a child that needs round the clock care. Invariably, the care-giver wants to work but has no skills or freedom to attend employment 8 hours per day. For people like these, ADV provides micro-finance to allow the care-giver to start their own business in a field they know. Common businesses include animal husbandry, selling groceries and injera (Ethiopia's favourite bread). This way the care-giver can become self-sufficient and independent.

As demonstrated above, the work of ADV is all-encompassing. The project improves health, increases access to education and in doing so reduces poverty. Ethiopiaid is committed to helping disabled children in Ethiopia. Projects like ADV, Alchemy World and Cheshire Services help give a better start to disabled youngsters. But please remember, we can only continue to help these amazing projects with your support.

A group of students