Save the Children Malawi says children with disabilities need to be given holistic support to improve their wellbeing.

Save the Children Malawi senior operations manager Frank Mwafulirwa said this in Machinga during a learning and sharing session with various stakeholders.

Mwafulirwa said through the Strengthening Disability Inclusive project, the organisation is providing support to local organizations to promote access to quality education, health and protection for children with disabilities.

“We discovered that there are children of people living with disabilities who are not fully serviced that is why we decided to work with local civil society organisations (CSOs), community based-organisations, government ministries and departments and others,” he said.

“We want to see that children are being catered for at household level, school level and district level.”

Malawi National Association of the Deaf (Manad) acting programs officer, Malonje Phiri said through the project, the organisation has provided basic sign language training to teachers and parents of children with hearing impairment in five districts to improve their interaction with children with hearing loss.

Esther Maluwa, a parent of a child with hearing impairment, said the basic sign language training has improved the day-to-day communication with her child.

Maluwa also said her child is now doing well in her studies due to improved interaction with teachers.