THE NEED

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that there are over 200 million children with disabilities growing up in developing countries.

95% of these children will never receive an education or the rehabilitative services they need. This means that such children are incapacitated by their disability. Social prejudices create another barrier. In countries where the entire family must exert themselves in order to survive, a child with a disability is often seen as a burden. Many cultures consider the birth of a disabled child as a punishment from God, causing shame and embarrassment within the family and resulting in the child being hidden from the rest of his/her community. Of course, many parents are well-intentioned, but without the knowledge and tools required to support the development of a child with special needs, their efforts are often frustrated. As a result of these and other factors, such children suffer grave human rights violations on a daily basis. They are excluded from society and are often victims of abuse, neglect, abandonment and even murder. Indeed, children with disabilities are, quite possibly, the most vulnerable of all children, yet they are forgotten in the midst of traditional development programs. That said, it doesn’t take much to give these children and their families the tools they need to foster development, happiness and independence.

The most important reason to help children with disabilities is simply because they are children. They’re kids like other kids - with likes and dislikes, giggle fits and temper tantrums, and with the same rights and needs as all other children. They have the right to grow and develop to their full potential, to play an active role in their future and to enjoy life to it’s fullest, and it is our responsibility to give them the tools necessary to do so.