In many parts of the world, there are no school facilities for children with disabilities. Already weakened, they find themselves excluded from the system and condemned to face many difficulties throughout their lives. This is the case of Marie-Jeanne, aged 4, in Senegal.
Marie-Jeanne lives in Sedhiou, in Casamance, Senegal. She has been blind since birth. Her family has had no ophthalmological consultation to explain her disability. Only the nurses at the local health centre have intervened, but to no avail. " They did their best but nothing could correct the handicap "says Rose, his grandmother.
"I want to go to school
Deprived of her sight, Marie-Jeanne has developed her hearing. " Whenever her brothers and sisters go into a corner to do their homework, she tries to come and sit next to them. She hears them reading A-B-C and repeats with them "...".explains Tinina, his 25-year-old mum.
Unfortunately, unlike her brother and sister, in CM2 and CE1 respectively, Marie-Jeanne has no access to education. In Sédhiou, there are no schools or specialised centres for children with visual impairments. " Marie-Jeanne keeps asking me for a schoolbag so she can go to school. She says "I want to go to school too", but with her disability, it's complicated. I don't know which teacher can take on a child like her. I'd like to find a solution to give her a better life. "concludes her mum.
For Aide et Action, this situation is unacceptable. No child should be deprived of his or her right to education! This is why we defend the idea of inclusive education, which offers everyone the same opportunities for the future. The inclusion of children with disabilities in "ordinary" schools promotes full primary education and helps to eliminate discrimination. Governments must make this a priority and invest in developing inclusive learning environments and providing appropriate training for teachers so that no one is left behind!
