Students with visual impairments in Uganda are now learning more independently thanks to new specialist equipment funded through the generosity of our supporters.
At Rafiki Thabo Foundation, we believe every child deserves the opportunity to reach their potential through education.
For young people living with visual impairments, however, simply attending school isn’t always enough. Without the right equipment, accessing learning materials, participating in lessons and working independently can become daily challenges.
That’s why we’re delighted to share the impact of our latest project at Hornby High School in Kabale District, south-west Uganda.
A school where inclusion comes first
Hornby High School is an inclusive secondary school that welcomes children with disabilities to learn alongside their peers.
Its specialist unit has become a beacon of hope for young people with additional needs, providing tailored support that enables students to succeed both academically and socially.
Today, the unit supports 48 learners with disabilities, including:
As the school’s reputation has grown, so too has demand for specialist support and equipment. Existing resources simply weren’t enough to meet the needs of every learner.
Building on a long-standing partnership
This isn’t the first time Rafiki Thabo Foundation has worked alongside Hornby High School.
Over the years, we’ve supported the school with a range of projects designed to improve access to education for learners with disabilities. In 2022, thanks to the generosity of our supporters, we helped provide Perkins Braille machines and other specialist equipment, giving students with visual impairments greater independence in the classroom.
Our continued support reflects our belief that inclusive education isn’t achieved through a single project. It takes long-term investment, trusted partnerships and a commitment to ensuring every young person has the opportunity to thrive.
Providing the right tools to learn
Thanks to the generous support of the Father O’Mahony Memorial Trust, together with funding from other supporters, Rafiki Thabo Foundation has helped purchase a new range of essential assistive technology for the school.
This includes:
Although these may seem like simple items, their impact is transformational.
A Victor Reader enables students who are blind or have low vision to independently access books, study materials, podcasts and other audio resources through tactile controls and spoken menus.
Talking calculators allow learners to participate fully in maths and science lessons by reading numbers aloud, reducing reliance on teachers or classmates.
The printer enables accessible learning resources to be produced within the school’s specialist needs unit.
Together, these devices are helping students learn with greater confidence, independence and dignity.
Following in Praise’s footstep
Some of you may remember Praise, the remarkable student we introduced during our BBC Radio 4 Appeal in 2022.
Praise lost her sight at 8 years old and her father abandoned her and her siblings due to the shame of having a child with a disability, leaving her mother penniless and struggling to care for her children. There was no money for school fees, so Praise missed years of school, until Rafiki Thabo stepped in and enabled Praise to resume her education at Hornby High School.
When our director Janet and Head of Fundraising, Janne, met Praise during a visit to the school in 2019, Praise spoke passionately about her dream of becoming a lawyer, as she wanted to fight injustice and fight for the rights of people living with disability.
Today, Praise is studying law and working towards making that dream a reality.
Her story is a powerful reminder of why projects like this matter.
Every Victor Reader, talking calculator and piece of specialist equipment helps remove barriers to learning, giving more young people the confidence, independence and opportunity to pursue ambitions of their own.
We hope many of the students currently using this new equipment will follow in Praise’s footsteps and achieve dreams that once felt beyond their reach.
More than equipment
When our Uganda Committee Chair, Benon, visited Hornby High School to see the new equipment in use, one student’s words perfectly summed up the difference these resources are already making.
Without access to a talking calculator, they believed they would achieve lower grades in maths.
With the right support, they now feel able to reach their goals.
The equipment is already helping students:
Just as importantly, learning alongside their peers helps reduce stigma around disability while promoting a more inclusive school community.
Thank you
Projects like this are only possible because of supporters who believe every child deserves access to education.
We are incredibly grateful to the Father O’Mahony Memorial Trust, whose generous contribution helped purchase this life-changing equipment.
Their support is already making a meaningful difference to the lives of young people at Hornby High School, helping remove barriers to education and opening doors to brighter futures.
Projects like this demonstrate what’s possible when generous supporters invest not just in equipment, but in potential. Every piece of assistive technology is helping create opportunities for tomorrow’s graduates, professionals and community leaders.
Together, we’re ensuring more children and young people across Kenya, Uganda and Lesotho have the opportunity to learn, thrive and fulfil their potential.
Project Impact at a Glance
📍 Location: Hornby High School, Kabale District, Uganda
👩🎓 Students supported: 48 learners with disabilities
👁️ Including:
🛠️ Equipment provided:
🎯 Impact: Helping students access education more independently, participate confidently in lessons and build brighter futures.
