Zimbabwe: The story of Tadiwa, breaking barriers

By Misheck Mlambo, Director for Hope for Kids Zimbabwe.

When I first met Tadiwa, a twelve-year-old girl in rural Marange, she was sitting quietly at the back of a bustling classroom, her makeshift wheelchair framed by rows of broken-down wooden desks that had been abandoned there. She would listen to some lessons through the classroom window; her makeshift wheelchair was too big to fit through the classroom door. Her eyes shone with the same hope as her classmates, but her school journey, like that of many children with disabilities across Zimbabwe, began in the shadow of exclusion, mainly due to poverty. In a community where resources are scarce and stigma runs deep, the odds seemed stacked against her ever setting foot in a classroom. Yet today, Tadiwa is living proof that determined communities and innovative alliances can #PushForward4Equality.

Tadiwa’s story is woven into the larger tapestry of “Breaking Barriers for Inclusion in Zimbabwe,” a transformative project spearheaded by Hope for Kids Zimbabwe. In the past, children like Tadiwa were often left behind: inaccessible classrooms, lack of trained teachers, and the social stigma surrounding disability made education a distant dream. But the project took a radical approach, placing those most overlooked at the centre of the agenda. This wasn’t about charity. It was about rights, dignity, and real partnerships. It was not merely feeling sympathy for children with disabilities, but a realisation that children with disabilities are children, first and foremost, and deserve to enjoy the same rights as other children without disabilities.

How did the transformation begin? First, it was about listening. Tadiwa’s mother, Miriam, told us, “I always knew my daughter was bright. What she needed was a chance, not sympathy, and I decided to ensure that she goes to school.” The project launched workshops that brought families, teachers, community leaders, and even traditional chiefs around one table. Their shared goal: identify obstacles and create action plans for inclusion. Teacher representatives in five schools in Marange received training in inclusive education, learning not only new methods but also how to see disability through the lens of potential rather than pity. The issue of disability inclusion in a school community was discussed, facilitated through materials gathered from disability inclusion trainings for CSOs, which were facilitated for Mutare CSOs by the Federation of Organisations of People with Disabilities (FODPZ).

A pivotal breakthrough came when schools, supported by the project, adapted facilities: ramps replaced steep steps, and accessible toilets were built with community labour. But equally vital was changing minds—public campaigns, school assemblies, and radio programs helped shatter stereotypes, inspiring a culture that values diversity over conformity. Children like Tadiwa were not just recipients but leaders, participating in drama clubs and awareness marches where they taught peers about equality and respect. It was a complete turnaround for Tadiwa, whose makeshift wheelchair was immediately replaced with a new wheelchair, donated by Mwana Trust, a local charity.

The journey didn’t stop at education. Young women with disabilities who were identified in Marange were linked to vocational skills programs—learning tailoring and Crafts under the Semwayo School of Sewing, ICT, and crafts. “For the first time, I can see a future where I provide for my family,” said Fungai, another trainee who is in Mutare now at the school, and she graduates in February 2026. These initiatives were co-designed with Disabled Persons Organisations, ensuring solutions reflected real needs, not assumptions, and Zimbabwe Youth for Impaired Persons Trust promised to ensure that each cohort at the Semwayo Sewing School will have two youths from their organisation

One of the project’s most powerful impacts has been its campaign to end early forced marriage, particularly among girls with disabilities who face compounded risks of exclusion. The project’s SRHR activities not only empowered adolescent girls with knowledge, confidence, and access to support networks but also held community leaders accountable for ensuring these rights are protected and promoted, especially for girls with disabilities. Community dialogues tackled taboos around menstruation and sexuality, encouraging parents to keep girls in school-where their dreams could flourish unfettered by tradition. It was a sad realisation that girls with disability were not accessing the same SRHR services as other girls, left behind without any iota of inclusivity in the program.

Change, of course, isn’t always swift or easy. As we celebrated International Day of Persons with Disabilities last year, Tadiwa took the mic at a school assembly. In front of teachers, village heads, and classmates, she shared: “I dream of being a teacher—because everyone deserves to learn, no matter what.” Her words brought tears to many, crystallising the reason we #PushForward4Equality: not just for one child, but for an entire generation..

The results ripple outward. More children with disabilities are enrolling and staying in school, fewer girls are married off early, and parent support networks—once rare—are taking root in the four villages across Marange. We will continue to hold local leaders accountable for their pledge to prioritise accessibility in future development plans, ensuring that persons with disabilities have equal access to opportunities and services. In contrast, national advocacy continues for policies that make education and public spaces barrier-free. We urge the government and other stakeholders to strengthen policies and programs that promote inclusion and accessibility for persons with disabilities. Accountability and transparency are crucial in ensuring that these policies are implemented effectively. We will continue to advocate for the rights of persons with disabilities and hold leaders accountable for their actions.

For us, it’s a huge challenge to replicate the impact on the five schools in the broader rural community of Chiadzwa, Marange, and Mutare rural. The vision is clear, organizations like FODPZ should partner and run weekly disability inclusion trainings for schools and community leaders, no child should be left behind, no community should treat children with disabilities as any less important, no community should be comfortable with having a child stay outside because they have a disability, all children are equal, if at all we need to entertain any disparity, then let it be sheer consideration that we had trampled on the rights of the children with disabilities and should make amends.

Lastly, the education fraternity deserves special attention, and it is not by mistake that we targeted school teachers for disability inclusion trainings. Teachers are special; they spend more time with our children than we all do, and they need to seriously consider adapting their classrooms to support the children’s diverse abilities. The campaign to hold communities accountable should start within the school fraternity.

Our journey is ongoing, but every story like Tadiwa’s reminds us that when communities organise, listen, and act, inclusion shifts from aspiration to reality, and lives are transformed. By breaking barriers, we enable total inclusion in Zimbabwe. Not doing so would imply that persons with disabilities are inferior. Conversely, embracing diversity and appreciating our unique strengths affirms that we are all equal, each in our special way.

#PushForward4Equality