Newsletter fall 2012

NEWS

fall 2012

EDUCATION FACED WITH EXCLUSION IN AFRICA

Education of children with disabilities

CONTENT p1 Lead photo p1 Word from the President Š IDAY-International aisbl

p2 Brief p3-4 Children with disabilities p5 Advocacy p6 Project Bank Raising voices for education in Africa

p7 Your commitment

80 million children and youth still do not attend school!

Act now !

Lead Photo

your donations

www.iday.org September 2012

Goodly promises...

This Autumn 2012 Newsletter is sponsored by

Delen Private Bank ranked for 5 years as the "Best private bank in Belgium"

by Euromoney magazine.

On June 16 this year in Uvira (DRC), during the Day of the African Child dedicated to children with disabilities, a deaf mute young girl asked: "Why [...] are some people blind while others can see, [...], why are some born deaf-mute while others can hear and speak?". Her call reflects the unease experienced by many people with disabilities in Africa today.

An official then addressed the audience, full of promises.

Who will check that they are indeed fulfilled? The African Union will choose another theme next year and this official will probably not be held accountable.

The African Union rather ought to engage the policial authorities in reviewing the promises made and showing the measures that have been taken. As for local civil society representatives, they ought to monitor these interventions and relay information. Finally, donors would need to demand as condition for their help that the local authorities commit to take their share of responsibility for achieving the necessary measures.

When these conditions are met, then only will it be time for fine promises.

IDAY-International aisbl - 19, rue des Jambes - 1420 Braine-l’Alleud - Belgium Responsible publisher: J-J. Schul - Redactor in chief/graphist: D. Devillers Contact: T. +32 (0)2 385 44 13 - F. +32 (0)2 385 44 12 - info@iday.org Bank account: IBAN - BE 93 5230 8026 6767 - SWIFT - TRIOBEBB (TRIODOS)

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Jean-Jacques Schul Founding member & Chairman of IDAY-International

Brief.

BELGIUM/BURUNDI

Knight of the Order of the Belgian Crown in IDAY A

The work of Goreth KANYANGE for the domestic workers in Burundi has been acknowledged and rewarded by Belgium. On July 1st, 2012, the director of CAD (Convergence pour l’Autodéveloppement des Domestiques) and president of IDAY-Burundi was awarded the Knight's cross of the Order of the Crown by H.E. the King Albert II of Belgium.

Congratulations!

KENYA

Sssshtttt,

rolling... and action!

In Octobre, 6 young Belgians are set to go to Kenya to meet with the local Youth Clubs - spontaneous groups of young volunteers who contribute to their country's development. .

They currently disseminate the antimalarial Artemisia annua plant in many schools in their country so as to inform the pupils of their ability to protect themselves efficiently and cheaply from this dreadful disease. A short documentary about these youngsters will be shot and shown to secondary schools in Europe from February 2013 onwards with the view to illustrating that alternative, effective and affordable development models do exist in Africa. To be continued!

LUXEMBURG

IDAY in the cinema

TOGO

Agriculture for education!

Wars, diseases or poverty leave many children orphaned or abandoned in Africa.

The Programme "Fonds Enfants Soleil (FES)" developed by the association Le Rônier, a member of IDAY-Togo, gives a family to these youngsters, based on a scheme that has already shown to work in rural areas.

The programme consists in placing the child in a foster family from his/her village. In order for the family to provide for the child, the parents receive a small livestock.

After 3 years, as the livestock multiplied, the family gives back the equivalent livestock to enable another familty to adopt a child.

Community fields are also cultivated. The proceeds of the sales contribute to cover for the expenses of the community school.

This programme has already secured shelter and a seat at school to about 700 children.

On the occasion of the Day of the African Child, an IDAY-Luxembourg spot on education for all in Africa was shown in 3 of the largest movie theatres in Luxembourg. This disconcerting spot illustrates in a powerful way the feeling of millions of children and youngsters who still today have no access to school in Africa. Want to know more? http://www.iday.lu/1806-2010-le-spot-de-sensibilisation-iday.html

If you would like to support this specific IDAY project, visit our Project Bank on our website www.iday.org!

Want to follow IDAY-International news?

Join our IDAY Facebook page!

More info? info@iday.org

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Welcoming

In Africa, close to 2 children out of 10 grow up with a handicap. Although this large group will matter a lot for the continent's future, children with disabilities are even less schooled than other African children. Barely 1 out of 10 is going to school1. Yet education is a powerful ally in the fight against exclusion.

Often considered as burdens, handicaped people have greater probability of being rejected than most individuals.

The situation is particularly worrying in some rural areas where old beliefs associate disabilities with witchcraft.

There, disabled children spend most of their time locked up at home, sometimes they even simply disappear. Beliefs can also lead to hidious crimes. In Tanzania for instance, the country with the biggest albino population, protection centers had to be created for them as some believe that possessing body parts of an albino brings happiness and prosperity...

The few children with disabilities who attend school are often victim of the ignorance of their classmates - if not of their teachers and of the management.

They are regularly discrimated against and bullied. This daily sufferings entices many of them to drop out of school.

children.

Mental or physical handicap is not the problem. It is a matter of social handicap, e.g. the inability of society to accept difference.

In some countries specialised institutions adapted to handicapped children have been created. This is a first response to their educational needs and to exclusion. However these facilities are expensive hence rare, and they don't foster contact between able-bodied and disabled people.

Moreover, a recent study indicates that children placed in such institutions face a higher risk of physical and sexual abuse.2 Two alternative approaches are possible: the integrated education system and the inclusive education one, where schools are attended by both disabled and ablebodied children. In an integrated system, children with disabilities attend separate classes whereas an inclusive school mixes all children indistinctively in the same classes.

Although one cannot give a clear preference to one approach over the other in terms of cost or academic performance, inclusive education is different in that it fosters direct contact between able-bodied and handicapped children. This contact helps deconstruct prejudice and myths about disability

and facilitates the integration of handicapped children in society.3 In many instances, a major practical obstacle remains: access to facilities and learning material. Ramps for wheel chairs or Braille equipment are still exceptions. Not only are the schools seldom adapted to some pupils' specific needs, but most teachers lack training in caring for handicapped children.

"Being handicapped is a permanent state which needs permanent solutions.

These can only come from our governments."

Mr Joshua Malinga (co-founder of the Disabled People's International) Although African governments blame budgetary constraints for impeding on the promotion of the rights of disabled people and their education, what strikes the most is the prevalent lack of political will. What makes it worse is that disabled people are not or seldom represented in public decision-making bodies and rarely consulted on issues that concern them.

Yet education is a fundamental right of which children with disabilities cannot be deprived. It was highlighted by the United Nations General Assembly with the adoption of the Convention on

World Health Organisation, Facts and figures on disability, June 2011 World Health Organisation, Children with disabilities more likely to experience violence, July 12, 2012 3 UNESCO, Overcoming Exclusion through Inclusive Approaches in Education - a Challenge & a Vision, Conceptual paper, 2003 1 2

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the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (December 2006). This text has been signed by a majority of African countries - but not yet ratified by all.

The theme chosen by the African Union (AU) for the Day of the African Child 2012 "The rights of disabled children: the responsibility to protect, respect, promote and achieve" shows a will to progress on this matter in Africa. In 1999 the AU proclaimed the Africa Decade of Persons with Disabilities. This initiative aimed at fostering full participation and independence of people with disabilities in society. It also called upon member States to take the relevant measures. A few countries such as Ghana, Burkina Faso, Senegal, Togo are taking significant steps to improve the situation4.

Meanwhile, Disabled People's International keeps on pressuring the governments for the recognition of the rights of handicapped people and for the implementation of existing laws and regulations.

Unfortunately these efforts remain insufficient. Disabled children still enjoy poorer health conditions, perform less well in their studies, have fewer employment opportunities and are poorer than able-bodied persons.

Governments must take their responsibilities to fight all forms of marginalisation of these youngsters.

African civil society ought to accompany these efforts and make sure they are really followed by acts. It is the condition for stopping the downwards spiral and allowing children with disabilities in Africa to grow up as full members of the society.

Education against handicap itself Poverty is a cause of handicap as it deprives people living in dire conditions from access to basic health services. Diseases such as polio, measles or malaria leave many children impaired if they are not treated properly. As for malnutrition, it is often responsible for child stunting.

This explains partially why 80% of disabled people in the world live in developing countries.

Poverty reduction would abate the handicap rate in Africa. And as a matter of fact, education is indispensable to fight poverty.

The Louis Braille Integrated School in YaoundĂŠ, Cameroon: an inspiring

example of inclusive education In 1986, Coco Bertin Mowa and Martin Luther Amahata Adibita, both blind, set the foundations of the Club of Young Rehabilitated Blind People of Cameroon (CJARC), now a member of IDAY-Cameroon. They launched the idea of opening a school to reduce illiteracy among and exclusion of people with visual impairement. This led to the opening in 2004 of the Louis Braille Integrated Bilingual Primary School, both for visually impaired and well-seeing children.

As of today, it achieves higher academic results than many other schools in the region. From less than 20 pupils at the time of creation, they are now close to 200. Since one year, the school is also open to children with other disabilities.

This experience prevents them from living in a separate world and helps them get rid of their inferiority complex.

Their school results are excellent and all children play together.

Sadly a number of impedements still affect this inspiring project. Due to a lack

of classrooms and of pedagogic material for instance, the school cannot meet the requests of many parents willing to register their disabled children. The CJARC wishes to create more similar schools but is faced with the issue of the teachers.

Their training is often inadequate and it proves almost impossible to pay them sufficient wages to keep them.

Money is crucial but not the only issue.

The school started negociations with the Ministry of Basic Education with the hope of entering in a partnership that would allow more children to benefit from this approach. In spite of this, awareness is still lacking on this matter among the public authorities and development stakeholders.

The Louis Braille Integrated Bilingual Primary School in YaoundĂŠ, however, prooves that inclusive education not only works but also that it is a solution adapted to children with disabilities.

UN Departement of Public Information, Africa's Disabled will not be forgotten, Africa Renewal Vol.24 No.1, April 2010.

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More info? info@iday.org

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Advocacy.

What’s up?

Children advocate for their education On June 29, 2012, IDAY-Togo celebrated the Day of the African Child in collaboration with the Association of Disabled People in the Savannah region. On this occasion, disabled children from Dapaong, the capital city of the Tône prefecture and of the Savannah region in Togo, addressed a message to the Minister of Primary and Secondary Education and Literacy.

Excerpts from their call give evidence of improvements in the past years, but also indicate that a lot still has to be done to achieve quality and equitable education opportunities for all. [...] a few years ago we were still left wondering about our access to school.

Mockeries, the teachers' reluctance to enroll us in schools, our parents' attitude as they tried to hide us, humiliation from other children did not encourage us to go to school.

Awareness-raising campaigns were carried out by associations and pedagogic staff to lift these obstacles.

Thus, the concrete step taken by your Ministry on May 11, 2012 with the passing of the decree N°048/MEPSA/CAB/SG, which institutionalises the guidelines "Training in inclusive education with focus on integrating disabled children in ordinary classes" facilitates our inclusion in schools.

There are now many of us attending ordinary schools and learning like any other Togolese child.

Your decision is a great step ahead in achieving education for all children, including children with disabilities. [...] we would like to inform you of a number of challenges we continue to face when we take school exams:

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DRC XIVe Summit of the Francophonie October 10-14 Summit (Kinshasa) Belgium European Development Days October 17 Support a sustainable and inclusive growth

Forum (Brussels) France 6th meeting of the Collective Consultation October 24-26 of NGOs on Education for All (CCNGO/EFA)

(UNESCO, Paris) France Fight malaria in schools to achieve November 20 education for all in Africa

Conference (Paris)

[...] I cannot hear, I am in grade 10 and I must write the primary school certificate exam. Dictation is one of the mandatory subjects of this exam. [...] you could suggest an alternative test where the text of the dictation is given to me with spelling and grammatical mistakes that I would have to correct. [...]

I am blind; for the primary school certificate exam, I am for example asked during the geography test to draw a map of Togo with all its rivers. Considering my visual handicap, the test could be adapted into an oral exercise where I would be asked to cite and locate these rivers. [...] I am a child suffering from a motor handicap. I am always in a wheel chair and accessing multi-storey buildings proves very difficult for me. [...] could you allow the jury members to let me write the exam in a room I can access easily? [...] I have a mental deficiency, I cannot react at the same pace as other children yet I always succeed with my exercices when I

am given a bit more time. Could I be given me some extra time to complete the tests?

This will cost nothing and will allow us to be evaluated on an equal basis with the other children! [...] We count on you to make a decision both as a mother and an authority, and to propose an order that will spell out the terms and conditions of evaluation and of the organisation of school exams for candidates with disabilities.

Films, conferences, theatre plays, workshop, media coverage, marches, forums and symposiums ... during the 22nd edition of the International Day of the African Child, IDAY members in Africa and Europe strived to advocate massively in favor of the education of children with disabilities. Let us hope that their voices be heard.

Project Bank.

The IDAY Project Bank is a pool of low cost and quality initiatives from African civil society to foster education for all in Africa. It shows to the governments that the right to quality education for all is achievable and essential to their countries' development.

Support our projects! Check www.iday.org or contact us directly at info@iday.org!

Project 32 Country Uganda

Cost â‚Ź15 836

Number of children 274

A school, skills and a future

for disabled and vulnerable children in the slums of Kampala APCPD (Action for Positive Change on People with Disabilities), a member of IDAY-Uganda involved with handicapped people in destitute neighbourhoods of Kampala, has been a long time witness of the exclusion of disabled children.

The association will soon open primary classes and vocational trainings to help many of

these youngsters out of their daily sufferings (sequestration, physical and verbal abuse, etc.).

Training will include sewing, ICT, knitting and crafts.

Equipped with those skills, these children and youngsters will have a better chance to escape poverty and to live a decent life.

Advocacy or service provision: What role for development philanthropists?

Many donors prefer funding service delivery projects such as the construction of a road or a school. These "micro" investments, which do provide a service at a given time and place, could serve as examples for the extension of beneficial actions to the whole country. This could in turn trigger a wider momentum that would help the population out of poverty.

Unfortunately, these projects are often carried out in isolation and are thus unable to make a real contribution to long-term socio-economic development.

Besides, when trying to address the unbearable failures they witness, the donors unvoluntarily substitute themselves to the local authorities, who subsequently tend to bail out of their responsibilities. It is all the more problematic that these donors also entice the population to systematically seek a solution to its problems with foreign aid.

Does this "Samaritan dilemma" necessarily justify that these deprived populations be severed from foreign donor's generosity? Isn't there a way to prevent such adverse effects

while maintaining appropriate support?

First of all, priority must be given to projects developped and implemented by local civil society itself, so that the needs identified are addressed in the most appropriate and sustainable way. Secondly, these projects must be integrated into a process of engaging the local governements in duplicating them and taking charge of them.

That is what the IDAY Project Bank is about: education-related projects promoted by local organisations serve to strengthen their advocacy for specific measures to be taken.

Finally, development philanthropists ought to prioritise support to local civil society to engage in impactful advocacy and hold the authorities accountable.

This form of aid is less visible yet all the more essential that such a dialogue is the only way to sustainably achieve social environments that are respectful of the rights of all individuals.

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commitment Your

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