Soft Power Education (SPE) works in rural Uganda to improve the quality of life through education. About 12.3% of children in Uganda aged 0-19 have functional disabilities. This is approximately 2.5 million children yet only 9% attend primary school and 6% attend secondary school against a national average of 92%, and 25% respectively.

Soft Power Education’s Special Education Needs Programme offers free physiotherapy and occupational therapy to 140 children with disabilities who are often shunned from society. The team works closely with communities and families across the Jinja District of Uganda to break down some of the traditional misconceptions surrounding disability. Specifically this project is providing:

– Safe, secure housing for 24 special needs children at a local government school with special educational facilities (for those where access to school is a barrier).

– Social Communication Disorder Group for children who are presenting with characteristics similar to that of a child with an autistic spectrum disorder (ASD).

– A safe/well-resourced multi-sensory learning environment for 6 children with disabilities who have been ostracised by their mainstream schools because of their disability.

– Educational Support to SEN children at mainstream government schools.

– Training sessions for parents and other practitioners on understanding specific disabilities and traditionally held stigmas.

– Outreach clinics at four locations offering free physiotherapy and occupational therapy services working closely with families.

– Encouragement for children with disabilities to be active and engaged citizens and thereby build vocational skills. Where possible SPE finds routes into further education or training.

– Referrals to hospitals or other organisations for medication, surgery or specialist appliances.