As part of efforts to strengthen inclusive learning in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), the Voice of Disability Initiative (VDI) on Tuesday extended educational support to pupils in three special needs schools across Abuja.
The beneficiary institutions include the FCT School for the Blind, the FCT School for Children with Special Needs, Kuje, and the Abuja School for the Deaf, Kuje.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the children received learning materials such as notebooks, pens, poster colours, pencils, Braille papers, sanitary pad banks, uniforms, sandals, and school bags.
Ms. Catherine Edeh, Executive Director of VDI, represented by the organisation’s Monitoring and Evaluation Officer, Mr. Edward Ogiji, said the outreach formed part of the Inspiring Girls and Grassroots Network for Transformative Education (IGNITE) project.
She explained that the initiative, supported by Urgent Action Fund–Africa, promotes access to quality education, menstrual hygiene, and dignity for adolescent girls with disabilities.
Edeh added that the distribution of sanitary pad banks was made possible through funding from Agence Française de Développement (AFD) under the FOS Feminsta Menstrual Health Dignity and Justice Project.
“Our main objective at VDI is to uplift women, girls, and children with disabilities,” she said. “Through these projects, we hope to challenge stereotypes, enhance confidence, and ensure that every child—especially girls with disabilities—can reach their full academic and personal potential.”
She noted that the initiative targets 150 adolescent girls with disabilities across the FCT to boost their self-esteem, leadership skills, and independence.
“We are helping them understand that their disability does not define their limits,” she added.
Edeh further said that the project includes life-skills training designed to help beneficiaries identify their ambitions and take steps toward achieving them despite societal challenges.
She appealed to individuals, corporate organisations, and development partners to complement government efforts in supporting children with disabilities, emphasizing that “inclusive education requires collective responsibility.”
In his remarks, Mr. Ayuba Gufwan, Executive Secretary of the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities (NCPWD), represented by Mr. Ogunbiyitan Kehinde, commended VDI for its intervention.
He described the initiative as “a practical step that acknowledges the real struggles many learners, especially girls with disabilities, face in their pursuit of education.”
“Education is one of the most powerful tools for breaking barriers and promoting equality,” Gufwan said. “For children with disabilities, access to appropriate learning materials and a supportive environment is not a privilege—it is a right.”
Also speaking, Mr. Alabi Oyetimi, Desk Officer for Special Needs Education at the FCT Universal Basic Education Board (UBEB), said the distributed materials would help strengthen inclusive classrooms and motivate learners.
“These learning tools are more than supplies—they are keys to inclusion and brighter futures,” he said.
Similarly, Mrs. Oluchi Opara, an Assistant Director at the Federal Ministry of Education, urged schools and communities to avoid discrimination and ensure that children with disabilities are given equal opportunities to thrive.
One of the beneficiaries, Ms. Hassana Sani, expressed gratitude to VDI, saying the gesture would inspire her and her peers to study harder and aim higher in their education.