Seeing my older siblings go to school, I wanted to do the same. I love to learn but my parents were hesitant to send me to school as they worried for my safety. But I still insisted and eventually, they relented.
When Fatima* was born 10 years ago, her family was delighted to have a healthy little girl. Fatima* had always been a bright, bubbly young girl full of life and energy. She loved to run and play with her siblings and explore the world around her. But when she was just five years old, she contracted the highly infectious virus Polio.
The disease left her with permanent physical impairment, forcing her to rely on a wheelchair to get around. The family’s income depended on the of-on jobs her father was picking on irregular basis, with seven children to feed and care for, getting her the medical attention and support she needed was a constant struggle.
At first, Fatima* was devastated by the changes in her life. She no longer had the freedom to move and play as she once did, and she struggled with feelings of isolation and sadness. But over time, she began to adapt to her new situation. She learned how to get around in her wheelchair, to navigate her way through their home. And she discovered a newfound love for education.
Despite the many obstacles she faced, Fatima* was determined to go to school. She begged her parents to let her enrol to a school, however her parents were reluctant as they worried for her safety. The way to the school was full of bumpy roads and steep inclines and most school environments were not barrier-free to allow Fatima* to move easily and freely.
They couldn't afford to buy her a new wheelchair or to make any modifications to the school building, on top of that, they knew how ruthless the society was from calling hurtful names to isolating children with disabilities and they worried little Fatima* will experience that faith, but Fatima* wanted to go to school anyways.
However, her parent’s opinion changed when they participated in an awareness campaign that was being held in the community about the importance of educating children with disabilities.
In an effort to increase the access to education for children with disabilities, Save the Children's Together for Inclusion (TOFI) project conducted several awareness campaigns across the country through different platforms to encourage parents to enrol their children with disabilities in schools.
Eventually, Fatima* was enrolled to an inclusive primary school. The project provided her with a scholarship and hired a school minibus to transport children with disabilities from home to school and provided them with teaching materials such as books, pens, and bags.
The school administration with the support of Save the Children conducted awareness campaigns educating students, parents and teachers on the rights of children with disabilities and promoting inclusive education. School instructors were also given access to inclusive teacher training programs that pushed them to care for kids, including those with disabilities, and act as role models for their students.
On the other hand, with the help of save the children, the Puntland disability organizations network (PDON) successfully carried out medical screening of learners with disabilities in Garowe and Gardo districts and was able to supply assistive devices to 103 students from 15 primary schools in the two districts across Puntland, and Fatima* was one of them.
Fatima* now lives with her parents and six siblings. She is enrolled at a primary school at grade one. She is quiet and shy and loves to learn. Most of the time, she likes to play with her friends.
Fatima*'s love for learning keeps her motivated even on the toughest days. She dreams of one day becoming a teacher, so she could help other children like herself to recognize their rights and have access to education.
Fatima enters her school with confidence — supported by her teacher
Fatima*'s Story
“My name is Fatima*, and I am 10 years old.
I live with my two parents and six siblings.
What happened?
When I was younger, I used to love being with my siblings and playing hide and seek and jumping robes.
But then I got sick. I don’t recall much of it as I was younger, but I remember having super bad headaches and being weak and not able to play.
When I get better, my legs were not working well. I could not walk and that made me sad.
How did you feel?
I felt sad and lonely. I could not play with my siblings like we used to.
But I had to adopt to the situation I was in. My parents get me a wheelchair and although it was not exactly fitting, I learned how to move freely around the house.
Seeing my older siblings go to school, I wanted to do the same. I love to learn but my parents were hesitant to send me to school as they worried for my safety. But I still insisted and eventually, they relented.
What changed?
Now I am enrolled in a school and my parents do not have to worry about my wellbeing since I have a transportation car that picks me up and drops me off, my teachers are also very supportive and nice.
Few months ago, I was given a new wheelchair that was better fitted for me, and I love it as it gives me the leisure to push it on my own and not need help from other people.
I enjoy coming to school, now I am in grade one and I learn how to read and write and many other subjects.
In the future, I want to be a teacher to support children including children with disabilities like me who need access to education.”
Idil* (Fatima*’s mother)
My name is Idil*, * I am 30 years old I am the mother of Fatima*.
As a child, Fatima* was playful and bubbly toddler. She loved playing with her siblings and trying to learn everything from the world.
When she was five, Fatima* had polio. She felt really ill and was weak, vomiting and having severe headaches. We tried to get her to doctors, and they diagnosed her with Polio.
I felt a lot of sadness and worry since my little girl lost movement on her lower body and was unable to walk without a wheelchair. I worried about her future as I expected her to be an educated girl that support her family and her siblings.
It took her sometime to get used to the situation, but we got her a wheelchair, and she learned how to go about her way at home.
Our family lives in a low condition that is unable to cover our needs since we are a large family of seven children, a mother, and a father and the only person who works for the family is the father who doesn’t have a permanent job and takes jobs here and there.
As of his latest job, he worked as a guard to a business center and what he makes was barely enough to cover food, rent and everyday expenses.
Fatima* wanted to go to school and learn like her siblings but I worried for her safety and wellbeing. Schools were not inclusive environment, and the roads were bumpy and full of steep inclines, and we could not afford the transportation fare on top of all other expenses.
But I attended awareness sessions teaching about the rights of children with disability and their access to education and after learning that there were schools in our areas that were accessible and with teachers specially trained on how to treat children equally, I enrolled her into school.
Following her enrolment and because of our family’s income, she received a scholarship along with a bus to take her to and from the school and learning materials such as bags, books, and pens.
Now she is in grade one and she goes to school 6 days a week and she is overjoyed and happy to be enrolled in school without discrimination.
After a medical screening, she received a new wheelchair that is better fitted for her and allow her to move independently.”
Fatima, 10, sits alongside her sister Fayruz in their classroom learning.
Background / Project information
Save the Children implemented the Together For Inclusion TOFI project with disabled children living in Garowe and Gardo districts in Puntland to access quality and include basic education. The main purpose of the project was to increase enrolment and retention of children with disability in schools through improved and responsive access opportunities to quality and equitable basic education services in Puntland and access to life-sustaining quality learning opportunities in a quality protective and safe learning environment.
The Together for Inclusion (TOFI) Consortium of Norwegian disabled persons’ organizations (DPOs) brought together the experience and expertise of some of the largest and most respected NGOs in the country to deliver an innovative, multi-country programmer. Combining the development expertise of large NGOs with DPO’s specialized rights-based approach, TOFI put persons with disabilities in the driver’s seat and aimed to reach the most marginalized with high-quality, sustainable interventions to promote disability rights advocacy, inclusive education, and economic empowerment in five sub-Saharan countries – Mozambique, Niger, Somalia, South Sudan, and Uganda.
The project reached adults and children with disabilities, as well as DPOs, schools and learning centers, and a range of institutions related to individual social protection and economic empowerment. Beneficiaries also included government and non-government agencies.
