Botswana needs a school for people with disabilities. Can you help?

My name is Álvaro de Miguel, I am 25 years old and I am crossing Africa on foot, from South Africa to Cairo. This journey was born with a double purpose: a personal challenge and the commitment to leave a positive mark wherever I pass.

In Botswana I have the honour of collaborating with Botswana Council for the Disabled, an organisation that works to improve the lives of people with disabilities across the country.

According to the 2017 Botswana Household Demographic Survey, more than 90,000 people live with some form of disability in Botswana, which highlights the importance of continuing to create spaces for inclusion, education and opportunity.

Currently, Botswana Council for the Disabled has 33 member organisations. Of these, 17 manage 23 centres that provide stimulation, rehabilitation and education for children and young people with disabilities. More than 1,200 children and young people take part in these residential centres.

Additionally, through community-based rehabilitation programmes, member organisations reach more than 30,000 people with disabilities and their families across the country.

Together we are driving the first P1,000,000 starter development for the Chobe Community Rehabilitation Centre in Kazungula, Chobe District: a school, rehabilitation and community support centre for people with disabilities and vulnerable community members.

The plan is deliberately phased: start small, build functional, expand progressively. The first building will be a multipurpose, expandable space for rehabilitation exercises, occupational therapy, counselling, education, skills training, workshops and community meetings.

The starter target is P1,000,000, divided into five construction stages of P200,000 each. Based on the campaign conversion, P1,000,000 equals approximately US$74,405.

This project will benefit more than 80 people daily and more than 500 annually, creating a space where they can learn, develop and build a future with greater autonomy and dignity.

Every donation brings us closer to that goal. Your help will not only contribute to raising a building; it will help create opportunities, hope and a better future for those who need it most.

Thank you for being part of this journey.