Working session at the National Institute for the Education and Training of Young Blind People of Senegal (INEFJA).
As part of the celebrations of its 50th anniversary (1975-2025), the ECOWAS Resident Representation in Senegal held a working session at the National Institute for the Education and Training of Young Blind People of Senegal (INEFJA) on 28 November 2025. The meeting aims to support Senegal’s efforts to provide schooling for people living with visual impairment.
50 years serving inclusion
On 28 November 2025, the ECOWAS Resident Representation in Senegal held a working session at the National Institute for the Education and Training of Young Blind People of Senegal (INEFJA). The visit was part of the celebrations of the 50th anniversary of the Economic Community of West African States (1975-2025).
To mark this historic anniversary, ECOWAS chose to highlight its commitment to the most vulnerable populations, particularly people with disabilities.
INEFJA: training for inclusion
The National Institute for the Education and Training of Young Blind People of Senegal (INEFJA) is a specialised institution that provides a suitable setting for training visually impaired young people. Its mission is to help them acquire the skills they need to integrate fully into society and contribute to their country’s development.
The institute faces significant challenges in:
- Adapting its infrastructure to learners’ specific needs
- Modernising teaching equipment (braille tools, audio materials, assistive technologies)
- Training supervising staff in specialised teaching methods
- Improving living conditions for boarders
Support to improve learning conditions
During the working session, the ECOWAS delegation met INEFJA officials to identify the institution’s priority needs and explore possible avenues for collaboration.
The aim is to improve learning conditions for the institute’s boarders by providing concrete support to an institution that works every day for the education and development of blind and visually impaired young people in Senegal.
Inclusive education: an ECOWAS priority
Inclusive education is one of ECOWAS’s priorities in its vision of a united and equitable West Africa. The Community recognises that the region’s sustainable development depends on including every part of society, including people with disabilities.
By supporting INEFJA, ECOWAS reaffirms its commitment to:
- Promote equal opportunities in access to education
- Combat all forms of exclusion
- Support Member States in their inclusion policies
- Develop the potential of every West African citizen
The 50th anniversary: celebrating through action
Since its creation on 28 May 1975, ECOWAS has worked for the economic and social integration of West Africa. Fifty years later, the Community reaffirms that this integration cannot be complete without including all citizens, without distinction.
Through this visit to INEFJA, the ECOWAS Resident Representation in Senegal shows that celebrating the 50th anniversary means, above all, taking concrete action for the well-being of the most vulnerable.
“In this anniversary year, ECOWAS reaffirms its commitment to every West African citizen, including the most vulnerable. Educating young people with disabilities is an investment in the future of our whole region.”