Sightsavers, an international charity organisation, has been awarded for improving the accessibility and quality of primary education for children with disabilities.
Sightsavers was recognised for its engagement with organisations of people with disabilities (OPDs) and support to children with disabilities to access early childhood development and education in Homa Bay County and Kakuma refugee camp.
The prestigious accolade was presented at the United Nations Office in Vienna on February 21, 2024, by the Zero Project.
Zero Project is a global organisation which brings together policymakers, corporations and other disability experts and recognises innovative disability initiatives.
Through the Inclusive Futures Programme, Sightsavers supported children aged between 4-14 years who are living with disabilities to access education.
Inclusive Futures is a flagship disability development inclusion program funded by multiple donors, including UK Aid and USAID.
Sightsavers country director Moses Chege said the strength of the project lay in the collaborative spirit.
“We are deeply grateful for the dedication of our partners, especially the United Disabled Persons of Kenya among others. This award is a testament to the impact we can achieve when we work together,” Chege said.
Inclusive Futures programme director Johannes Trimmel appreciated their work being recognised on a global stage by the Zero Project.
“People with disabilities and their representative organisations need to be included in development programmes to shape and transform the societies that we live in. This recognition motivates us to amplify efforts in providing education for children with disabilities,” Trimmel said.
Sightsavers won the award in partnership with the International Disability Alliance (IDA), a consortium of more than 20 organisations working together to ensure people with disabilities are included in development and humanitarian programmes.
Its education projects, which integrate children with disabilities into mainstream schools, operate in Bangladesh, Kenya, Nepal, Nigeria, and Tanzania.
The programmes have resulted in increased enrolment and retention rates of children with disabilities in mainstream schools, so far supporting nearly 1,700 children with disabilities to access education.
The Zero Project awards recognise organisations that have removed barriers for people with disabilities through their innovative and scalable solutions.
Around 1,000 people from 100 countries attended the annual conference at the United Nations’ Offices in Vienna, where Sightsavers received the Zero Project award.
Sightsavers works in more than 30 low and middle-income countries to end avoidable blindness, treat and eliminate neglected tropical diseases, and promote equality of opportunity for people with disabilities.
Inclusive Futures played a crucial role in supporting some of the most marginalised communities during the COVID-19 pandemic in Bangladesh, Kenya, Nepal, Nigeria, and Tanzania, and reached over 60,000 people with aid.