By Madi S. Njie
Banjul, The Gambia – Catholic Relief Services (CRS), in partnership with the Gambia Federation of the Disabled (GFD) and with funding from the European Union (EU), has launched a 30-month project to promote disability-inclusive education in The Gambia.
The project, “Disability Inclusive Pathways,” began on 1 March 2025 and will run until 30 September 2027. Its goal is to improve access, protection, and participation of children with disabilities in mainstream schools.
As part of the initiative, CRS conducted a two-day “Parenting Without Violence” training from 15–16 December 2025 at the Ocean Bay Hotel. The workshop brought together leaders from GFD and affiliated organisations of persons with disabilities.
Speaking at the opening session, CRS Senior Project Officer, Ms. Safiatou Touray, said the project was designed in close consultation with GFD. She highlighted the barriers children with disabilities face, including stigma, limited school access, lack of assistive devices, and low teacher capacity. “Girls with disabilities are particularly marginalised due to the intersection of gender and disability,” she added.
CRS has also carried out a Gender, Disability and Accessibility Audit in 12 schools, assessing teaching practices and the accessibility of classrooms, toilets, doorways, and ramps. Facilitators stressed that accessibility goes beyond infrastructure and requires assistive devices and supportive systems to enable full participation.
The project will introduce weekly Tea and Coffee Sessions, providing parents of children with disabilities safe spaces to share experiences, manage stress, and learn positive parenting practices using a disability-inclusive manual. Findings from a 2024 CRS gender analysis indicated widespread parental stress linked to stigma and communication barriers.
Economic support will also be provided through SILC (Savings and Internal Lending Communities), enabling parents to save and invest in small businesses.
Mr. Sainey Camara, Acting Executive Director of GFD, said the project aims to promote inclusion through school drama and environmental clubs, which often exclude children with disabilities. He called for a review of the Special Needs Education Policy, citing persistent challenges for visually impaired, deaf, and hard-of-hearing learners. Participants also recommended curriculum reforms at The Gambia College, increased media awareness on disability rights, and stronger collaboration with national institutions.
The EU-funded project is expected to advance inclusive education, positive parenting, and social protection for children with disabilities across the country.