Handover of teaching materials to the National Institute for the Education and Training of Young Blind People of Senegal (INEFJA)
Three months after its working session at the National Institute for the Education and Training of Young Blind People of Senegal (INEFJA), the ECOWAS Resident Representation in Senegal took action. On 13 February 2026, a large batch of teaching materials was handed over to the institute to improve learning conditions for its 160 boarders.
On 13 February 2026, the ECOWAS Resident Representation in Senegal officially handed over teaching materials to the National Institute for the Education and Training of Young Blind People of Senegal (INEFJA) in Thiès.
This donation follows the working session held on 28 November 2025 as part of the celebrations of the 50th anniversary of ECOWAS (1975-2025). On that occasion, the Community delegation identified the institute’s urgent needs and pledged concrete support for its 160 boarders.
INEFJA welcomes 160 visually impaired young people and offers them tailored training to help them thrive and integrate into society. Despite the dedication of its staff, the institute faces significant difficulties:
- Lack of school resources: insufficient adapted teaching materials (braille equipment, audio materials, tactile tools)
- Food needs: difficulties in supplying the canteen to feed the boarders
- Infrastructure: equipment needs modernising to provide the best learning environment
In response to these challenges, ECOWAS decided to take concrete action to support Senegal’s efforts in favour of inclusive education.
The batch of teaching materials handed over by the ECOWAS Resident Representation includes equipment designed to make learning easier for blind and visually impaired young people. The donation will enable INEFJA to:
- Strengthen its educational offer with adapted teaching tools
- Improve the daily lives of the boarders
- Support the supervising staff in their work
Beyond the materials, this action also aims to introduce ECOWAS to the young boarders and the region’s educational community, showing that regional integration translates into concrete acts of solidarity.
This donation is part of the outreach mission of the ECOWAS Resident Representation in Senegal. By travelling to the regions and supporting institutions such as INEFJA, the West African Community increases its visibility and shows its commitment to all sections of the population, including the most vulnerable.
“ECOWAS means 400 million citizens. Each of them, whatever their disability, deserves our attention and support. Inclusive education is a pillar of our region’s development,” the Resident Representation stressed.
Access to education for people with disabilities remains a major challenge in West Africa. According to estimates, millions of children with disabilities are still excluded from school in the region.
By supporting specialised institutions such as INEFJA, ECOWAS helps to:
- Promote equal opportunities for all children
- Combat the exclusion of people with disabilities
- Strengthen the region’s human capital
- Honour international commitments on the rights of persons with disabilities
“Every child has the right to education, whatever their disability. By supporting INEFJA, ECOWAS reaffirms that regional integration leaves no one behind. These 160 young people are the future of our Community.”
