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Success Story
A Zanzibar community mobilizes to support students with disabilities
Going Back to School - On Her Own
Photo: Margaret Ngau
Time rides her tricycle alongside her deputy principal outside her school in Pemba,
Zanzibar.
Time's story produced a ripple effect on Pemba after a teacher who attended the
MKEZA workshop described Time's case to the community.
Time (pronounced Teemé) Hamad Ali is a 12-year-old girl from the island of Pemba,
Zanzibar, off the coast of Tanzania. She is also physically disabled and, until recently, used a
"push wheelchair"
to go to school. Time's parents — rural farmers — wheeled their daughter to and from
school every day. While Time's
parents considered their daughter the family's "beacon of hope," they could no longer
afford the time required to
take their daughter to school.
USAID funds the MKEZA initiative in Zanzibar, which promotes inclusive education and sponsors public
forums to increase awareness of the educational needs and rights of children with disabilities.
At a February 2005 MKEZA workshop, a teacher described Time's situation to explain how a physical
disability could limit a young, intelligent girl's education. Workshop participants were visibly
touched and dwelled on themes of "moving people with disabilities from consumers to producers," and
the importance of community. The participants affirmed that each member of a community needs to contribute
for it to truly prosper.
Reflecting on Time's predicament, one participant wondered out loud, "What could we do for Time?"
In a show of solidarity that would make Time's dream come true, the 30 participants dug into their pockets
and produced the equivalent of $53. They handed the money to Time's teacher with instructions to purchase
a tricycle, exercise books and a school uniform. A week later, Time was back at school, and riding to
and from independently on her tricycle. Later, the community raised enough funds to construct a ramp
at the school to provide easier access for the disabled.
Time's story produced a ripple effect on Pemba after a teacher who attended the MKEZA workshop described
Time's case to the community. The teachers, parents and management committee of another school noticed the
difficulties faced by one of their physically disabled students. This young boy had to limp for several
kilometers to school and often arrived late. Within days, half the funds for
another tricycle had been raised and the community made a promise to meet the full target soon.
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