People with disabilities to benefit from landmark inclusion project
ZANZIBAR: A MAJOR five-year programme aimed at dismantling barriers faced by Persons With Disabilities (PWDs) in the country will be officially launched this Wednesday in Zanzibar.
The initiative, known as Collective Actions for Disability Rights (CADiR), is valued at over 20bn/- and will target key sectors including education, healthcare and employment.
The launch ceremony will be held in Mbweni and officiated by Zanzibar’s First VicePresident, Othman Masoud Othman.
Speaking at a press briefing ahead of the event, Executive Secretary of the Zanzibar Council of People with Disabilities, Mr Ussi Dede said the programme is significant in addressing entrenched inequalities.
“For years, persons with disabilities have faced systemic barriers, from inaccessible infrastructure and limited employment to exclusionary policies and social stigma. CADiR offers both institutional and practical solutions,” he said.
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Funded by the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD) at NOK 91.5 million (about 20bn/-), the CADiR programme will run from 2025 to 2029 across both mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar.
It is coordinated by the Norwegian Association of Disabled (NAD), with support from the Norwegian Association of the Deaf (NDF), the Norwegian Association of the Blind and Partially Sighted (NABP) and the Norwegian Federation of Organisations of Persons with Disabilities (FFO).
Key Tanzanian partners include SHIVYAWATA, CHAVITA and Sense International on the mainland, while Zanzibar implementers include SHIJUWAZA, TAMWA Zanzibar, the Madrassa Early Childhood Programme, Mnazi Mmoja Hospital and ZANAB.
According to organisers, CADiR will promote inclusive education and healthcare, boost employment and entrepreneurship through digital and financial literacy, improve community-based disaster response, expand participation of PWDs in policymaking and address social stigma and discrimination.
Chairperson of the Zanzibar Federation of Disabled People’s Organisations (SHIJUWAZA), Ms Mwandawa Khamis, welcomed the initiative. “CADiR arrives at the right time. It will not only expand opportunities but also empower institutions and change community perceptions.” The programme will be guided by the principle “Nothing About Us Without Us”, ensuring full participation of persons with disabilities in all aspects of design, decision making and implementation.
Globally, the World Health Organisation estimates that 16 per cent of the population, one in six people lives with some form of disability. In Tanzania, despite policy advancements, challenges persist in infrastructure, assistive technology, inclusive communication and access to public services.
