Delivery of adapted benches to the Thiashima school in Kananga, DRC. | © HI
In the Democratic Republic of Congo, education for all remains a challenge: nearly 2 million children started school thanks to free education in 2019, but 22%1 of children remain excluded, particularly children with disabilities. Faced with obstacles such as inadequate infrastructure and school equipment, a lack of teacher training and stigmatisation, HI has been working in Kasai since 2023 to support 60,000 children with disabilities, mainly girls, and provide them with access to quality education.
Véro has returned to school in Kasai
In order to be able to attend school in good conditions, some children supported by HI receive care tailored to their needs. This is the case for Véro Tshibola Ntumba, a 15-year-old teenager who lives in Tshikapa with her family. Véro has hemiplegia and no longer has full control of her right hand and foot, but she continues to dream and learn.
"When she was four, Véro was hospitalised for an abscess, but the operation did not go as planned and she developed hemiplegia, which turned her life upside down. Walking became a challenge and playing with other children became impossible," recalls her father, André Ntumba.
In August 2025, the family receives a visit from a community member tasked with identifying children with disabilities who need support. As a result, Véro is taken under the wing of HI, which provides her with an orthosis and adapted shoes. André Ntumba accompanies his daughter to HI's physiotherapy sessions and is trained to repeat the exercises at home, ensuring continuity of care and strengthening her functional abilities.
"Without this help, we would not have been able to get the orthosis that changed Véro's life. Today, she is walking again, playing with other children and has returned to school. Véro is now in Year 3 and loves learning," says her father, André, proudly.
Breaking down barriers to education
Like Véro, hundreds of children have undergone physiotherapy sessions and received orthoses, crutches or wheelchairs to regain their independence and dignity and learn in better conditions.
HI is working on a large scale in Kasai: in partnership with more than 170 schools, the organisation is taking concrete steps to break down barriers to inclusion. To date, 620 adapted benches have been distributed to 58 schools, providing children with disabilities with a more accessible and comfortable learning environment.
"Before, the lack of infrastructure severely limited pupils' access to education. Today, thanks to HI's support, our school has adapted buildings and inclusive school benches that are accessible to children with and without disabilities. This initiative has significantly improved access to quality education for all," says Ntambue Makata Bertin, headmaster of Tshiashima Primary School in Luebo, on behalf of the community.
In addition, the organisation has trained 156 teachers in inclusive teaching practices, strengthening their ability to adapt their teaching methods to the specific needs of the most vulnerable pupils.
The right to education is an essential lever for social transformation: it helps break the cycle of poverty, reduce inequalities and build a generation of autonomous and engaged citizens. Supporting children like Véro is a concrete investment in the future.
Study "Humanitarian Needs Overview 2022" published by OCHA in 2021.
