Overview
SAFOD is implementing a three-year regional project on Disability-Inclusive Disaster Risk Reduction (DiDRR) in partnership with Christian Blind Mission (CBM). The project works across Zimbabwe, Zambia, and Malawi — three countries with similar exposure to climate-related hazards, including droughts, floods, and cyclones.
The project aims to reduce the heightened risk faced by persons with disabilities in climate-related disasters. It does this by strengthening inclusive disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation processes at community, national, and regional levels.
Why this project matters
South-eastern Africa is experiencing more frequent and intense weather events, driven in part by the El Niño-Southern Oscillation. These hazards hit hardest in countries already under economic and social strain, where most people depend on subsistence farming.
Structural, communication, and institutional barriers limit the access of persons with disabilities to early warnings, evacuation support, and recovery services. Global frameworks — including the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction and the Paris Agreement — call for their inclusion in disaster planning. Yet this commitment rarely translates into national action plans or practical programmes.
Implementing partners
- Federation of Organisations of Disabled People in Zimbabwe (FODPZ)
- Regional Psychosocial Support Initiative (REPSSI)
- Zambia Federation of Disability Organisations (ZAFOD)
- Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA)
- Federation of Disability Organisations in Malawi (FEDOMA)
- Churches Action in Relief and Development (CARD)
- Malawi Council for Disability Affairs (MACODA)
What the project does
The project takes a multi-level approach, combining capacity building, policy engagement, and cross-country knowledge exchange. Click each area to learn more.
In March 2026, SAFOD hosted a regional training workshop in Boksburg, South Africa. The four-day event brought together 12 participants from OPDs in Zimbabwe, Zambia, and Botswana. The training had two components:
- A Training of Trainers (ToT) on DiDRR, building facilitation and advocacy skills.
- A technical course on Monitoring Inclusive Early Warning Systems (EWS).
Participants showed clear improvements in their understanding of DiDRR frameworks and practical monitoring tools. Over 90% rated the training as "Very Good" or "Excellent." Country-specific action and monitoring plans were developed during the workshop.
SAFOD commissioned an independent mapping study on the situation of persons with disabilities within disaster risk reduction systems in all three countries and across the SADC region. The study found:
- Significant awareness gaps among DRR stakeholders about disability-inclusive approaches.
- Physical and communication barriers limiting participation by persons with disabilities.
- Weak enforcement of existing disability and DRR policies in all three countries.
- Incomplete data on disability and disaster risk, limiting evidence-based planning.
A policy analysis training in Gaborone, Botswana equipped SAFOD and its OPD partners with skills to identify policy gaps and develop measures to address them.
The project promotes structured dialogue between OPDs, governments, and non-governmental actors across the three countries. SAFOD has engaged in key regional and global platforms, including:
- The Africa Regional Platform for Disaster Reduction (AFRP-9).
- The Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction (8th Session).
- The Global Network of Civil Society Organisations for Disaster Reduction (GNDR).
A regional protocol on disability-inclusive DRR is in development. A roundtable forum is planned to finalise and adopt it.
SAFOD and project partners have conducted field visits to Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Malawi to assess progress, engage local stakeholders, and support community-level implementation. A peer-to-peer visit programme allows OPD representatives to share learning directly across borders. Upcoming visits to Muzarabani district (Zimbabwe) and Gwembe district (Zambia) will bring together OPDs and government stakeholders to assess inclusive early warning systems on the ground.
Key results to date
Looking ahead
The project will continue to support OPDs to engage with disaster management authorities and influence national DRR plans. Key next steps include peer-to-peer visits in Zambia and Zimbabwe, stakeholder engagement meetings at district level, and finalising the regional DiDRR protocol.
The training model developed in Boksburg is designed to cascade through OPD networks, building long-term capacity beyond the life of the project. At regional level, SAFOD's coordination role positions the project to influence SADC-level policy on inclusive disaster preparedness.
Inclusive disaster risk reduction is not an optional feature of good governance. It is a basic requirement for any system that aims to protect all people — including those most at risk.
