Youth In Action For Disability Inclusion Zambia - YADIZ

🇿🇲 𝐀𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐒𝐨𝐚𝐫: 𝐙𝐚𝐦𝐛𝐢𝐚’𝐬 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐡 𝐃𝐚𝐲 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔 – 𝐄𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐠 𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧, 𝐈𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬! ✨

𝐇𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐲 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐡 𝐃𝐚𝐲, 𝐙𝐚𝐦𝐛𝐢𝐚! 🇿🇲

Today, Thursday, 12th March 2026, we proudly celebrate Youth Day under the powerful national theme “Arise and Soar.” This theme reminds young people across the country to rise above challenges, embrace innovation, step into leadership, and become the driving force behind Zambia’s progress and an inclusive future. 🚀

At Youth in Action for Disability Inclusion Zambia (YADIZ), we join the nation in celebrating the strength, resilience, and potential of young people — especially young persons with disabilities. ♿💙 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:

• Cheshire Homes – for supporting the Y𝘠𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘩 𝘗𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘱𝘢𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺 𝘙𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘤𝘩 𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘐𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘤𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘊𝘖𝘝𝘐𝘋-19 𝘰𝘯 𝘠𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘩 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘋𝘪𝘴𝘢𝘣𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘦𝘴 (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. 🙏✨

• Consortium on the COVID-19 Response Project (2021–2022) – implemented with partners and funded by Christian Blind Mission (CBM), reaching and impacting over 1,500 persons with disabilities. 🤝

• Enhancing Youth Entrepreneurship and Employability Project (2022–2023) – implemented in partnership with VSO ( Voluntary Service Overseas), strengthening entrepreneurship and employability skills for over 1,500 young people with and without disabilities. 💼📈

• Inclusive-Led Prevention Initiative (2023–2024) – supported by PEPFAR, improving access to HIV prevention and health services for over 600 youths with disabilities. 🩺❤️

• 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. 🌍

• 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. 🙌

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. 💙

📢 𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵 𝗗𝗮𝘆 𝗖𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗼 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻

𝗭𝗮𝗺𝗯𝗶𝗮 𝗺𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗳𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗼𝗰𝗼𝗹.

𝙄𝙣 𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙣𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙝𝙞𝙥 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 Sightsavers 𝙕𝙖𝙢𝙗𝙞𝙖, 𝙔𝘼𝘿𝙄𝙕 𝙞𝙨 𝙞𝙢𝙥𝙡𝙚𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙍𝘼𝘿-𝙋 (𝙍𝙚𝙖𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝘼𝙛𝙧𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝘿𝙞𝙨𝙖𝙗𝙞𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙮 𝙋𝙧𝙤𝙩𝙤𝙘𝙤𝙡) 𝙋𝙧𝙤𝙟𝙚𝙘𝙩, 𝙬𝙝𝙞𝙘𝙝 𝙘𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙨 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙛𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝘼𝘿𝙋..

The Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ 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. ♿

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. 💪🔥

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.

✨ 𝙻𝚎𝚝 𝚞𝚜 𝚊𝚛𝚒𝚜𝚎 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚌𝚘𝚞𝚛𝚊𝚐𝚎 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚜𝚘𝚊𝚛 𝚝𝚘𝚐𝚎𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛 𝚝𝚘𝚠𝚊𝚛𝚍 𝚊𝚗 𝚒𝚗𝚌𝚕𝚞𝚜𝚒𝚟𝚎 𝚉𝚊𝚖𝚋𝚒𝚊 𝚠𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚎 𝚗𝚘 𝚘𝚗𝚎 𝚒𝚜 𝚕𝚎𝚏𝚝 𝚋𝚎𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚍.

𝙷𝚊𝚙𝚙𝚢 𝚈𝚘𝚞𝚝𝚑 𝙳𝚊𝚢 𝚝𝚘 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚢 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚐 𝚉𝚊𝚖𝚋𝚒𝚊𝚗! 🇿🇲
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Ian Banda Writes...

TUNE IN AS WE DISCUSS THE PREPARATION FOR THE INTERNATIONAL DAY FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES AND THE 16 DAYS OF SGBV ACTIVISM...