With HI’s support, Kanloukitibe is making progress at school

Kanloukitibe is the eldest of three girls. She lives with her family in northern Togo, in a village surrounded by mountains. Through the support she receives from HI, she is able to go to school with the other children.

Village life

Kanloukitibe was born with hearing loss. She has speech difficulties and can’t communicate easily with her peers. She uses sign language or gestures and mimes.

Fortunately, her disability has never been a barrier to inclusion in her village and she has many friends of her own age to play with.

Kanloukitibe's father, Mounmè, is a farmer and her mother, Palawoube, is a domestic worker. Although both work, their income is very modest and they did not have the means to provide Kanloukitibe with the personalised support she needed to succeed in her studies.

Kanloukitibe attends class…

ASPHATA, an organisation of people with disabilities in Tandjoaré, identified Kanloukitibe and referred her to HI more than three years ago. The young girl and her family have been supported by our organisation ever since.

Kanloukitibe receives a school kit every year, with supplies and a uniform, as well as financial support to pay her school fees. For three years, she attended classes with a teacher trained by HI in sign language. HI also trained him in inclusive education methodology so that he could make his classes more accessible to Kanloukitibe.

During the Coronavirus pandemic, Kanloukitibe received protection kits, including liquid soap, hydroalcoholic gel and masks. In a complicated context, this extra support was very welcome and meant she could continue going to school without the risk of infection.

… and receives home support

Thanks to HI, Kanloukitibe also receives support at home from an itinerant teacher, who comes to her house at least once a week to help her learn her lessons and do her homework. This support, although always important, has now become essential, as Kanloukitibe's previous teacher has been transferred and his replacement has not yet been trained in inclusive education or sign language. With the personalised support provided by her itinerant teacher, Kanloukitibe is not falling behind in class and continues to progress.

HI has also trained Mounmè, Kanloukitibe's father, in sign language. He can now communicate more easily with his daughter and help her with her studies so that she can one day fulfil her dream of doing a professional training course and becoming an accomplished dressmaker.

HI's inclusive education project in Togo is supported by the French Development Agency (AFD).