What We Do
Our programmes span education, family support, healthcare, and advocacy — all designed to create lasting, meaningful change across Africa.
Book and Outreach Programme
Huru & Maya is a joyful children's book series that gently introduces Down syndrome through friendship, kindness, and inclusion. We use the Huru & Maya series as a practical and powerful tool for outreach and advocacy.
Through school visits, community reading sessions, and parent engagement events, the stories open up honest, age-appropriate conversations about difference, empathy, and belonging. By introducing children to Down syndrome in a warm and relatable way, we help challenge stigma early and encourage inclusive attitudes from a young age.
The series allows us to engage teachers, parents, and community leaders in meaningful dialogue, creating safer, more welcoming spaces where children with Down syndrome are understood, accepted, and included.
Education & Outreach
We work with schools, teachers, and education ministries across Africa to create truly inclusive classrooms.
Our programs include:
- Teacher training — equipping educators with the tools to support students with Down syndrome in mainstream settings
- Curriculum adaptation — developing learning materials that meet a wide range of abilities
- School visits — direct in-school support for children and their teachers
- Community workshops — reaching families in rural and under-served areas
We believe that an educated community is the most powerful force for inclusion.
Family Support
A diagnosis of Down syndrome can feel overwhelming — especially in contexts where information is scarce and stigma is high. We provide families with the knowledge, networks, and emotional support they need to thrive.
Our family support programs include:
- Early intervention guidance — connecting new parents with specialists in the critical early years
- Parent support groups — peer-led communities where families can share experiences and strategies
- Helpline and counselling — one-on-one support for families navigating difficult moments
- Resource library — accessible guides in multiple African languages
Healthcare Advocacy
People with Down syndrome often face significant barriers to quality healthcare in Africa — from a lack of specialist knowledge among clinicians to the prohibitive cost of therapies.
We are working to change this through:
- Clinician training — partnering with medical schools to include Down syndrome in healthcare curricula
- Therapy access programs — subsidised speech, occupational, and physiotherapy for families who cannot afford it
- Health policy advocacy — engaging governments to ensure disability-inclusive healthcare policy
- Research partnerships — contributing to the global evidence base on Down syndrome in African contexts
Advocacy & Rights
True inclusion requires systemic change. We advocate at local, national, and continental levels to ensure that the rights of people with Down syndrome are recognised and protected.
Our advocacy work focuses on:
- Legislative reform — pushing for disability-inclusive laws and their enforcement
- Awareness campaigns — changing hearts and minds through media, public events, and storytelling
- UN and AU engagement — ensuring African perspectives are heard in global disability forums
- World Down Syndrome Day — coordinating Africa-wide events every 21 March
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