12/03/2026
๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐๐ซ๐ข๐ฌ๐ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐จ๐๐ซ: ๐๐๐ฆ๐๐ข๐โ๐ฌ ๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ๐ก ๐๐๐ฒ ๐๐๐๐ โ ๐๐ฆ๐ฉ๐จ๐ฐ๐๐ซ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐ฏ๐๐ซ๐ฒ ๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ง๐ ๐๐๐ซ๐ฌ๐จ๐ง, ๐๐ง๐๐ฅ๐ฎ๐๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐ก๐จ๐ฌ๐ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ญ๐ก ๐๐ข๐ฌ๐๐๐ข๐ฅ๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐๐ฌ! โจ
๐๐๐ฉ๐ฉ๐ฒ ๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ๐ก ๐๐๐ฒ, ๐๐๐ฆ๐๐ข๐! ๐ฟ๐ฒ
Today, Thursday, 12th March 2026, we proudly celebrate Youth Day under the powerful national theme โArise and Soar.โ This theme reminds young people across the country to rise above challenges, embrace innovation, step into leadership, and become the driving force behind Zambiaโs progress and an inclusive future. ๐
At Youth in Action for Disability Inclusion Zambia (YADIZ), we join the nation in celebrating the strength, resilience, and potential of young people โ especially young persons with disabilities. โฟ๐ This year also marks an important milestone for us as we reflect on six years of youth-led advocacy and action advancing disability rights and inclusion.
What began as a passionate youth movement working closely with support groups grew into a formally registered organization in 2020. Since then, we have continued to grow through partnerships, collaboration, and a shared vision of building an inclusive Zambia where no young person is left behind.
We would like to extend our sincere appreciation to our partners and collaborators who have walked this journey with us:
โข Cheshire Homes โ for supporting the Y๐ ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ต๐ฉ ๐๐ข๐ณ๐ต๐ช๐ค๐ช๐ฑ๐ข๐ต๐ฐ๐ณ๐บ ๐๐ฆ๐ด๐ฆ๐ข๐ณ๐ค๐ฉ ๐ฐ๐ฏ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ข๐ค๐ต ๐ฐ๐ง ๐๐๐๐๐-19 ๐ฐ๐ฏ ๐ ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ต๐ฉ ๐ธ๐ช๐ต๐ฉ ๐๐ช๐ด๐ข๐ฃ๐ช๐ญ๐ช๐ต๐ช๐ฆ๐ด (2020). Special appreciation goes to Director Mr. Kamima Ng'uni , whose leadership and encouragement supported us even before we became a formally registered organization. Through his support, many young people with disabilities were empowered and these initiatives became possible. ๐โจ
โข Consortium on the COVID-19 Response Project (2021โ2022) โ implemented with partners and funded by Christian Blind Mission (CBM), reaching and impacting over 1,500 persons with disabilities. ๐ค
โข Enhancing Youth Entrepreneurship and Employability Project (2022โ2023) โ implemented in partnership with VSO ( Voluntary Service Overseas), strengthening entrepreneurship and employability skills for over 1,500 young people with and without disabilities. ๐ผ๐
โข Inclusive-Led Prevention Initiative (2023โ2024) โ supported by PEPFAR, improving access to HIV prevention and health services for over 600 youths with disabilities. ๐ฉบโค๏ธ
โข Disability Rights Watch - DRW our partner on the Inclusive Health and Information Project, promoting access to Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) services for over 2,000 young persons with disabilities. ๐
โข Zambia Federation of Disability Organisations - ZAFOD , Organizations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs), fellow civil society partners, and government institutions who have continued to support and believe in our work. ๐
Through these partnerships, we have been able to reach, empower, and support thousands of young people with disabilities, strengthening their voices and participation in community development. ๐
๐ข ๐ข๐๐ฟ ๐ฌ๐ผ๐๐๐ต ๐๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ฎ๐น๐น ๐๐ผ ๐๐ฐ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป
๐ญ๐ฎ๐บ๐ฏ๐ถ๐ฎ ๐บ๐๐๐ ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ณ๐ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ณ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ป ๐๐ถ๐๐ฎ๐ฏ๐ถ๐น๐ถ๐๐ ๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ผ๐ฐ๐ผ๐น.
๐๐ฃ ๐ฅ๐๐ง๐ฉ๐ฃ๐๐ง๐จ๐๐๐ฅ ๐ฌ๐๐ฉ๐ Sightsavers ๐๐๐ข๐๐๐, ๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐๐ ๐๐จ ๐๐ข๐ฅ๐ก๐๐ข๐๐ฃ๐ฉ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐๐ผ๐ฟ-๐ (๐๐๐๐ก๐๐จ๐๐ฉ๐๐ค๐ฃ ๐ค๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐ผ๐๐ง๐๐๐๐ฃ ๐ฟ๐๐จ๐๐๐๐ก๐๐ฉ๐ฎ ๐๐ง๐ค๐ฉ๐ค๐๐ค๐ก) ๐๐ง๐ค๐๐๐๐ฉ, ๐ฌ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ก๐ก๐จ ๐๐ค๐ง ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐ง๐๐ฉ๐๐๐๐๐๐ฉ๐๐ค๐ฃ ๐ค๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐ผ๐ฟ๐..
The Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoplesโ Rights on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in Africa, adopted by the African Union in 2018, is a historic instrument addressing the unique barriers faced by persons with disabilities across the continent.
It promotes non-discrimination, accessibility, equality, and full participation in education, health, employment, and community life. โฟ
The Protocol entered into force in 2024 after 15 African countries ratified it, including Kenya, where progress is already being made in strengthening inclusive policies and protection for persons with disabilities.
However, Zambia has not yet ratified this vital instrument.
Ratifying the African Disability Protocol would align Zambia with continental commitments and accelerate progress toward a truly inclusive society where persons with disabilities fully enjoy their rights and opportunities.
Young people especially youth with disabilities have the power to lead this change. ๐ช๐ฅ
On this Youth Day, we encourage all young Zambians to rise, speak out, and advocate for equality and inclusion in every sector education, employment, health, leadership, and community life.
โจ ๐ป๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐.
๐ท๐๐๐๐ข ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ณ๐๐ข ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ข ๐ข๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐! ๐ฟ๐ฒ
! ๐ฟ๐ฒ
๐ฟ๐ฒ โฅ