Sililo Foundation: Voice of Persons with Disabilities

17/07/2026

Happy Friday! 🎉

Just a reminder: Did you know that making space for disability awareness and acceptance helps everyone feel like they belong?

Wishing you a restful, inclusive weekend filled with good moments.

13/07/2026

Happy New Week!

New week, same mission: dignity, access, and inclusion for all.
Let us keep raising voices and breaking barriers for persons with disabilities.

Nothing About Us Without Us.

09/07/2026

Sililo Foundation Joins Calls for Zambia to Ratify the African Disability Protocol

Lusaka - 9th July, 2026

The Sililo Foundation was recently invited by the Zambia Federation of Organisations of Persons with Disabilities (ZAFOD) to attend an orientation and awareness-raising meeting on the _Ratification and Implementation of the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in Africa_, commonly known as the African Disability Protocol (ADP).

The meeting sought to enhance stakeholders’ understanding of the Protocol, its significance in advancing the rights and inclusion of persons with disabilities, and its direct relevance to Zambia’s national disability inclusion agenda.

The orientation comes at a critical moment. Zambian Organisations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs), including the Sililo Foundation, have consistently called on the Government of Zambia to ratify and implement the Protocol. Ratification would signal Zambia’s commitment to disability rights at both continental and domestic levels, and provide a stronger legal and policy anchor for inclusion.

Why the African Disability Protocol Matters for Zambia

The ADP is the first pan-African human rights treaty that specifically addresses disability. It builds on the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), which Zambia ratified in 2010, but goes further by contextualizing rights within African cultural, social, and economic realities.

Key areas where the Protocol would advance rights and inclusion for Zambians with disabilities include:

1. Stronger Legal Protection: The ADP explicitly prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability and requires states to repeal or modify laws, customs, and practices that discriminate. For Zambia, this would reinforce the Persons with Disabilities Act No. 6 of 2012 and support alignment of other laws — including customary law — with disability rights standards.

2. Inclusive Development: The Protocol obligates states to ensure persons with disabilities benefit from and participate in national development. This strengthens Zambia’s ability to mainstream disability in the 8th National Development Plan, Constituency Development Fund guidelines, and sector budgets in health, education, employment, and social protection.

3. Right to Legal Capacity and Justice: Article 7 affirms equal recognition before the law and access to justice with procedural accommodations. This would accelerate reforms to Zambia’s guardianship systems and court processes, ensuring persons with intellectual or psychosocial disabilities can make decisions with support, not substitution.

4. Harmful Practices and Violence: The ADP requires states to take measures to eliminate harmful practices, including those based on culture, tradition, or religion. This gives Zambia a stronger mandate to address stigma, ritual killings, and gender-based violence against women and girls with disabilities.

5. Political Participation: The Protocol protects the right to vote, be elected, and participate in public affairs. With Zambia’s 2026 general elections approaching, ratification would strengthen calls for accessible polling stations, voter education in accessible formats, and protection from election-related violence targeting candidates and voters with disabilities.

6. Data, Monitoring, and Accountability: States must collect disaggregated data and establish mechanisms to monitor implementation. This would help Zambia track disability inclusion across the LCMS, ZDHS, and local government systems, ensuring “nothing about us without us” is backed by evidence.

A Timely Step for Zambia

“Ratifying the African Disability Protocol is not just a diplomatic gesture — it is a practical tool for transformation,” said, Sililo Foundation. “It gives us an African standard to hold ourselves accountable to, and it helps translate the CRPD into realities that fit our context: from rural communities to urban townships. Sandra Kaseke, Director of Education and Operations

The Sililo Foundation, alongside ZAFOD and other OPDs, continues to urge Government to complete ratification and develop a costed implementation plan with clear roles for ministries, traditional leaders, and civil society. Implementation would complement existing gains such as the Free Education Policy, Social Cash Transfer expansion, and the Children’s Code Act, ensuring persons with disabilities are not left behind.

Nothing About Us Without Us.

_For more information:_
Sililo Foundation on: [email protected] or visit our website: www.sililofoundation.org

Video caption: In the video is one of the 2025 Sililo Foundation Essay Writing Fellows, Annah Banda, making a plenary presentation at the orientation and awareness raising meeting.

13/06/2026

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: June 13, 2026
Contact: Sililo Foundation Communications
Email: [email protected] | Phone: +260 96 3991695 | Lusaka, Lusaka Province, Zambia

Sililo Foundation Commends Government Progress on International Albinism Awareness Day, Calls for Stronger Action on Skin Protection and Inclusion

Lusaka, ZAMBIA – As Zambia joins the world in marking International Albinism Awareness Day on June 13, 2026, the Sililo Foundation commends the Zambian government for steps taken to protect and advance the welfare of persons with albinism, while urging faster action on critical gaps in health care, education, and safety.

This year’s UN theme, “Proudly in My Skin: Celebrating All Skin,” resonates deeply in Zambia. People with albinism face a double challenge: a genetic condition that increases risk of vision impairment and skin cancer, and social stigma rooted in myths and misinformation.

The Sililo Foundation acknowledges several positive steps by the Zambian government in recent years:
1. Policy recognition: Inclusion of persons with albinism under Zambia’s disability framework has improved access to social protection programs and advocacy platforms.
2. Health initiatives: Partnerships with the Ministry of Health to conduct skin cancer screening camps and distribute protective items like hats and sunscreen in high-risk districts.
3. Education and awareness: Support for awareness campaigns through the Ministry of Community Development and Social Services, helping challenge harmful myths and promote human rights.
4. Legal protection: Commitment to enforcing laws that criminalize attacks and discrimination against persons with albinism.

“These actions show political will and save lives,” said Sandra Kaseke, Director of Education and Operations of Sililo Foundation. “We have seen more children with albinism staying in school and more adults accessing health screenings because government structures are paying attention. That matters.” Sandra

What remains to be done
Despite progress, significant gaps remain:
1. Sustainable access to skin protection: Sunscreen, lip balm with SPF, and dermatological care are still unaffordable or unavailable for many families. Skin cancer remains a leading cause of premature death among persons with albinism.
2. Vision support in schools: Many schools lack low-vision aids, appropriate lighting, and teacher training on inclusive teaching methods for learners with low vision.
3. Safety and justice: Myths and superstitions continue to fuel stigma and, in some communities, security threats. Faster investigation and prosecution of attacks are needed to deter violence.
4. Economic inclusion: Unemployment and underemployment persist due to barriers in vocational training and workplace accommodations.

The Sililo Foundation calls on all Zambians, communities, and Organizations of Persons with Disabilities to take concrete action:
1. Challenge myths with facts: Speak up when you hear misinformation. Albinism is a genetic condition, not a curse. Share accurate health information on sun protection and vision care.
2. Make spaces inclusive: Schools can seat learners with albinism at the front and provide large-print materials. Employers can adjust lighting and allow flexible outdoor schedules. Churches and community groups can ensure their events are accessible.
3. Support health access: Donate sunscreen, hats, and protective clothing. Partner with clinics to sponsor dermatology camps. Advocate for sunscreen to be subsidized and treated as essential medicine.
4. Partner with OPDs: Organisations of Persons with Disabilities should include persons with albinism in leadership, planning, and service delivery. Shared advocacy strengthens the disability movement as a whole.
5. Amplify voices: Let people with albinism lead conversations about their own lives and solutions. June 13 is their platform.

“Disability inclusion drives business success, innovation, and growth in competitive markets,” added. “When Zambia removes barriers for persons with albinism, we unlock talent, creativity, and participation that benefit all of us.” Sandra Kaseke

The Sililo Foundation reaffirms its commitment to work with government, traditional leaders, schools, clinics, and OPDs to ensure persons with albinism in Zambia live with dignity, safety, and opportunity.

On this International Albinism Awareness Day, we celebrate the resilience of persons with albinism and renew our call: protect the skin, preserve the lives, respect the rights.

About Sililo Foundation
Sililo Foundation is a Zambia-based organisation dedicated to advocacy, health support, and inclusion for persons with persons with disabilities. Through community education, health camps, and partnerships, we work to end stigma and create equal opportunity.

# # # For interviews, photos, or more information, contact Sililo Foundation Communications at [email protected], or visit our website: www.sililofoundation.org. Follow us on Facebook, X, LinkedIn, TikTok and WhatsApp.

10/06/2026

10/06/2026

08/06/2026

As we start this week, it is worth reflecting on why disability inclusion is no longer just a matter of compliance or goodwill. It is a strategic advantage.

When workplaces are designed to include people with disabilities, they unlock broader talent pools, fresh perspectives, and practical problem-solving that fuels innovation. Accessible products and services also open doors to an estimated 1.3 billion people globally, creating new customer segments and strengthening brand reputation.

Beyond that, inclusive policies improve employee retention, boost morale, and enhance a company’s standing with investors, clients, and regulators.

In today’s competitive markets, inclusion drives both business success and sustainable growth because it builds environments where diverse minds can contribute, ideas can be tested without barriers, and solutions can serve everyone more effectively.

The Sililo Foundation

27/04/2026

Happy Monday from the Sililo Foundation

A new week brings new chances to build a world that works for everyone.

Disability inclusion is not a Tuesday-to-Friday project. It starts with the decisions we make today: who we invite to the table, whose voices we center in our plans, and what barriers we choose to remove.

This week, let us challenge one assumption, open one door, and design one process with accessibility in mind. Small actions compound into real change.

Because when persons with disabilities thrive, communities and businesses thrive with them.

Here is to an intentional, inclusive week ahead.

25/04/2026

Congratulations once again to our Top 10 Leadership Academy winners!

From 25 April to 23 May 2026, these outstanding and inspiring young leaders will embark on a journey of growth, leadership, and impact. They are ready to drive change, challenge systems, and shape a more inclusive future. This cohort represents a new generation of leaders committed to advancing inclusion, innovation, and impact.

Leaders. One Vision. Shaping an Inclusive Future. We look forward to their journey and the change they will lead. We are excited to support them as they rise to lead change in their communities.

22/04/2026

DID YOU KNOW?

Disability inclusion is not just the right thing to do. It is a driver of business innovation.

When employees with disabilities are involved in product development and service design, they bring unique perspectives that uncover gaps, improve usability, and open new markets. Diverse lived experience = better products for everyone.

At the Sililo Foundation, we are committed to unlocking opportunities for persons with disabilities and helping businesses harness the full value of inclusive teams.

How can your organization get started?
Involve persons with disabilities in your design and decision-making processes.

Let us build products and services that truly work for all.