Who We Are

We seek to unlock an inclusive society!

We work with governments, donors, the private sector, and organisations of persons with disabilities in 16 national affiliates across the SADC region to pursue the following mission:

“To advocate for the rights of persons with disabilities — and to ensure they are included in all aspects of development.”

With the “no one left behind” motto, we seek to:

Capacity Building

Build the capacity of teh national federations of the organisation of pesons with disabilities affiliated to us on disability advocacy.

Self Representation

Represent the the voice of persons with disabilities at the regional level as an organisation established by people with disabilities themselves.

Regional Policy Change

We work to embed disability rights into regional laws, programmes, and frameworks to make them inclusive for persons with disabilities.
Campaign Now Open · Join the Movement
World AT Day · June 2026 · #WorldATDay · #UnlockTheEveryday
World AT Day in
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· 14 June 2026
SAFOD  ·  ATscale  ·  Global Campaign 2026

Together, let's
Unlock the Everyday
for everyone.

World Assistive Technology Day · 14 June 2026

One billion people worldwide live with a disability. Millions need assistive technology (AT) — wheelchairs, hearing aids, screen readers, communication devices — yet up to 95% in Southern Africa alone cannot access it. World AT Day is a global call to action. SAFOD and ATscale, the Global Partnership for Assistive Technology, unite governments, civil society, businesses, and individuals every June to change this reality — one voice, one commitment, one community at a time.

👇 Who should join? Click any card below to find out.

How to participate

1

Register and pledge your support at unlocktheeveryday.org — individuals, groups, and institutions are all welcome.

2

Spread the word on social media using #WorldATDay and #UnlockTheEveryday.

3

Host or join an event — a seminar, pop-up demo, panel, or community gathering in your country or organisation.

4

Make a commitment — whether policy, funding, or practice — and report your progress to ATscale.

Join the Campaign

A joint campaign by SAFOD and ATscale — the Global Partnership for Assistive Technology, in partnership with OPDs across 8 countries in Southern Africa.

A person with a disability participates in a World Assistive Technology Day pop-up event organised by LNLVIP (Lesotho National League of Visually Impaired Persons) — one of SAFOD's national affiliates — demonstrating accessible assistive devices to the community.
🇱🇸 Lesotho
Participants gather at a World Assistive Technology Day awareness and advocacy event supported by SAFOD and ATscale, as part of the annual campaign to increase access to assistive technology across Southern Africa.
🌍 Southern Africa

OUR PROGRAMMES

Eight flagship areas that drive inclusion across the region

OUR FEATURED PROJECT

Participants at the DiDRR Training of Trainers workshop, Boksburg, South Africa, March 2026
Featured project

Enhancing Disability-Inclusive DRR Capacities and Strengthening Resilience against Climate-related Disasters in Southeast Africa

SAFOD  ·  Christian Blind Mission (CBM)  ·  German Cooperation  ·  7 local partners

3Target countries
7Local partners
2022Project launched
2026ToT training completed

Persons with disabilities face a higher risk of death and injury in climate-related disasters. Yet they are routinely left out of disaster planning, early warning systems, and emergency response. This project addresses that gap directly.

SAFOD leads the project in partnership with CBM and seven national organisations across Malawi, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Together, they are building the capacity of organisations of persons with disabilities (OPDs) to engage in disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation at national and regional level.

The project operates within four international frameworks:

Sendai Framework for DRR UN CRPD Sustainable Development Goals Paris Agreement / UNFCCC
🇲🇼

Malawi

  • FEDOMA
  • CARD
  • MACODA
🇿🇲

Zambia

  • ZAFOD
  • ADRA
🇿🇼

Zimbabwe

  • FODPZ
  • REPSSI

SAFOD

Regional lead. Coordinates all activities and manages partner relations across the three countries.

CBM & German Cooperation

Primary funder and technical partner. CBM brings expertise in disability-inclusive humanitarian response.

  • Project launch — Side event at the 2022 Disability Regional Roundtable Forum, Johannesburg. 38 participants attended in person and online.
  • Kick-off training, Lusaka — Two-day workshop on DRR, climate change adaptation, and disability inclusion for SAFOD staff and OPD representatives from all three countries.
  • Policy analysis training, Gaborone — Equipped OPDs in Malawi, Zambia, and Zimbabwe to identify policy gaps and develop advocacy strategies on inclusive DRR.
  • Baseline studies & mapping — Country-level mapping of the situation of persons with disabilities in DRR strategies and mechanisms across all three countries.
  • Training of Trainers, Boksburg — March 2026 — Participants from all three countries built skills in disability-inclusive DRR and monitoring of inclusive early warning systems. Country action plans were developed.

Meta-analysis report

A regional synthesis of evidence on disability, social protection, and DRR across Malawi, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Published in 2025.

Regional guidelines

SAFOD Regional Guidelines on Inclusive Social Protection Mechanisms for Persons with Disabilities in Southern Africa, developed with CBM and German Cooperation.

Country action plans

OPDs in all three countries developed tailored action plans for monitoring inclusive early warning systems and advancing disability-inclusive DRR at national level.

Trained OPD leaders

A cohort of trained OPD representatives across three countries now has the skills to engage in DRR policy processes and monitor inclusive early warning systems.

Annual Report 2017

Who supports SAFOD?

An overview of our funding sources, geographic origins, and how resources were allocated across programmes in 2017.

Total donations received

USD 329,056

Fiscal year 2017

Total project expenditure

USD 178,318

Across all programmes

Surplus retained

USD 150,738

54.2% of total donations

Active donor organisations

5

Across 5 countries

Donations vs expenditure

2017 fiscal year comparison

Donations: USD 329,056 — Expenditure: USD 178,318

Donors

By organisation

FFO 57%, Google 19%, OSISA 15%, ADF 6%, Others 3%

Origin of donations

By country

Norway 57%, America 19%, South Africa 15%, Ethiopia 6%, Others 3%

Programme expenditure

By programme allocation

Programme 1 41%, Programme 4 33%, Programme 7 23%, Other 3%

Data sourced from SAFOD Annual Report 2017. Figures in USD.

Knowledge We Share

SAFOD produces research, policy documents, and practical guides to advance the rights of persons with disabilities in Southern Africa. These resources support OPDs, governments, and partners across the region.


Annual Reports

PDF

Documents covering programme activities, results, and financial performance each year.

Regional Guidelines on Inclusive Social Protection

PDF

A policy framework for persons with disabilities in Southern Africa. Developed with CBM and German Cooperation.

Meta-Analysis Report

PDF

Research on disability and social protection across Southern Africa.

AT Catalogue & AT Guide

PDF

Directories of assistive technology suppliers and guidance for users across Southern Africa.

Advocacy Manual for OPDs

PDF

A practical guide for organisations of persons with disabilities in Southern Africa.

Living Conditions Report

PDF

Research on the daily lives of persons with disabilities across the region.

COVID-19 Research Report

PDF

Analysis of how the pandemic affected persons with disabilities in Southern Africa.

Policy and Stakeholder Influence Strategy

PDF

Strategic framework covering 2021–2025.

Monitoring and Evaluation Framework

PDF

SAFOD's M&E framework for the 2021–2025 strategy period.

News & Info

Latest news & announcements

FEATURED CAMPAIGNS

The SADC Disability Protocol

SAFOD developed this regional instrument after years of consultations. It aims to bind SADC member states to protect and promote the rights of persons with disabilities.

Download Policy Brief →

Regional Guidelines on Social Protection

Our regional guidelines set out a clear framework for embedding disability inclusion into social protection and disaster risk systems in Southern Africa.

Read the Guidelines →

DiDRR Training Programme

SAFOD trains organisations of persons with disabilities across the region to lead and participate in disaster risk reduction efforts.

Learn More →

The SADC Disability Protocol

SAFOD developed this regional instrument after years of consultations. It aims to bind SADC member states to protect and promote the rights of persons with disabilities.

Download Policy Brief →

Regional Guidelines on Social Protection

Our regional guidelines set out a clear framework for embedding disability inclusion into social protection and disaster risk systems in Southern Africa.

Read the Guidelines →

DiDRR Training Programme

SAFOD trains organisations of persons with disabilities across the region to lead and participate in disaster risk reduction efforts.

Learn More →