Around the world, 1 in 10 children lives with a disability.
Too often, they face barriers to education, healthcare, and opportunities to hope and dream. Many are left out – not because of their abilities, but because of the world’s failure to see and include them.
So how do we change this?
At UNICEF, we build inclusive communities where every child – no matter their challenges – has the chance to overcome obstacles and reach their full potential.
Here, we share their stories – of hardship, but also of resilience, strength, and hope – and what they show us about how we can all support children with disabilities.
From despair to hope
When a child is diagnosed with a disability, the world can suddenly feel smaller. But with the right support, it can open up again.
Mohamed, 17, from Syria, knows this journey well.
“I used to cry when I watched other children playing outside,” he said. “They were free – laughing and running. And I felt trapped at home like a prisoner.”
When conflict erupted in 2011, life became even harder. Constant displacement made it difficult for Mohamed’s mother, Safa, to care for him. “The conditions were so difficult, I felt my hopes for Mohamed slipping away,” she said.
Everything changed when Safa discovered a UNICEF -supported mobile education team in Darayya. She enrolled Mohamed straight away.
“The course was amazing,” Mohamed said, smiling. “The teachers were patient. They understood me. They respected my struggles.”
Building a business
With support from UNICEF, Mohamed also began physiotherapy and received cash assistance.
Determined to build something of his own, he convinced his parents to invest part of the money in a small street stall selling sweets and canned food.
“I was the happiest person when I started making money,” he said. “Last holiday, I bought new clothes with the money I earned. They were the best clothes I’ve ever had!”
This is what the right support – from you, me, everyone – can do. It doesn’t change everything overnight, but it gives a child the chance to take part, to earn, and to feel proud of who they are.
Specialist support we can all provide
Some children need highly specialised care – support that only trained experts can provide.
In Yemen, prosthetic technician Afrah Al-Harassi is one of them.
She helped nine-year-old Khadija regain her mobility after years of pain. What began as a wound on her heel turned into a long journey of treatment, multiple surgeries, and hospital visits, but nothing worked. Eventually, doctors said amputation was the only option.
After the operation, Khadija’s father, Shayef, heard about the UNICEF-supported Prosthetics and Rehabilitation Centre. There, they met Afrah, who fitted Khadija with a prosthetic leg.
“Khadija had a strong will to continue her education,” Afrah said. “She even arrived in her school uniform, determined to return to her studies.”
Soon after, Khadija was smiling again.
Walking again
“Khadija didn’t sleep all night,” her father said. “She was so happy with her new foot. She couldn’t wait to go home and start walking again.”
This is what specialist support through organisations like UNICEF makes possible: not just treatment, but the moment a child stands up again, ready to step back into their life.
Can you help UNICEF's work for disabled children?
Can you join them? Sign up below and UNICEF will send you an email with more inspiring stories of incredible children overcoming barriers – and details on how you can help them.
Help build a better world for children with disabilities
Pictured right is UNICEF Ireland's chief executive Peter Power at a child-friendly space in Syria supported by UNICEF donors.
Funding for spaces like these is only possible because people like you here in Ireland generously give to support UNICEF's work.
Together, we can build a world where every child is given the opportunity to thrive.