Keyword: inclusion. By fighting social exclusion and stigma, CELIM is working in Zambia to help street boys and girls and children with disabilities integrate into society. ‘It is a big challenge – Lara Viganò, head of CELIM’s projects in Africa explains – that we play on several levels: strengthening infrastructure, training teachers and medical staff, training boys and girls. Our work is just starting, but it is already giving the first results’.

In recent months, thanks to the Street Children project, vegetable gardens, a chicken coop and a pigsty are being organised at the residential centre for street children of Mthunzi.’ These activities have a dual function – observes Lara -. On the one hand, the centre offers fresh and healthy food. On the other hand, children are allowed to practice activities that can help them in the future. In this context, a professional agricultural school will soon open in Mthunzi, which will organise short courses (3-6 months) that can be attended by both the young people of the centre and the ones from the local community.

In Lusaka, on the other hand, there is a day centre that is frequented by the children met by the operators while doing recreational activities in the streets. The centre offers literacy courses and psycho-social assistance. ‘This centre – continues Lara – is a transition point where the boys and girls identified in the streets can be helped reintegrate into their family and school. Where family reintegration is not possible, they can be directed towards Mthunzi, a residential structure where they can build a path for future life. The girls are instead sent to Loniadzani, a daytime facility for girls.

In Ndola (Copperbelt district) and Lusaka, the Edu-Care project offers activities for boys and girls with disabilities. ‘In Ndola – explains Lara – we are building a centre for autism, a new room for musical activities, and a sports field. These facilities will serve both the Holy Family Special School for young people with severe disabilities, and the Luigi Drop In Center for street children. Sports fields, classrooms, a theatre room, etc. are being built in Lusaka’s Shalom Center. For both structures, our big challenge is a comprehensive inclusion of street children and boys and girls with disabilities. Cutting down exclusion and social stigma is a primary goal in Zambian society, which still struggles to include diversity.’

However, structures alone are not enough. A medical and cultural intervention is also essential. ‘Precisely for this reason – concludes Lara – in August we organised some training to teach health personnel and teachers about autism and epilepsy. These people play a key role, particularly in the early detection of autism, so that the correct therapies can be applied. Training teachers is essential so that they learn the correct methodologies when dealing with children with disabilities. While this is going to be a long process, promoting ever greater inclusion is going to be crucial.’