Displaced and disabled, but not disregarded

Getting an education as a child refugee isn't easy. For children with disabilities, it's downright difficult. The learning environment is rarely supportive – a deficiency which is reflected in the less-than-accommodating physical infrastructure. Institutional policies and teacher training don't encourage inclusive practices either. All this against a backdrop of negative stereotyping in school, at home and in the wider community – it's easy to see how they could become disheartened.

Porticus partners with Humanity & Inclusion (HI) to empower refugee children with disabilities, improving their protection and addressing their exclusion from the education system at Kakuma Refugee Camp, Kenya. The pilot intervention at selected schools respects the diversity of learners and will inform the design of a broader quality inclusive education programme throughout the camp. HI is also collaborating with the Ministry of Education and Kenya Institute of Special Education (KISE) to develop and trial enhanced modules for inclusive education.

The approach helps families, teaching staff, and community leaders and outreach workers to create safe, inclusive environments where anyone can learn. All the insights are being documented to help spread best practice to other refugee camp settings in Kenya and beyond. The overall goal is to build stronger foundations for inclusive education to enhance learning and social outcomes for all children, with and without disabilities.