World Vision Digital Accessible Books Project Wins Prestigious 2024 Zero Project Award

In a significant recognition of innovative educational solutions for children with disabilities, World Vision Malawi ’s Tiwerenge 365 (T365) Digital Books Project has been awarded a 2024 Zero Project Award. 

The Zero Project, an initiative committed to a world with zero barriers, announced the awards on International Day of Persons with Disabilities, December 3. 

The initiative operates under the Essl Foundation and focuses on improving the daily lives and legal rights of persons with disabilities. Aligned with the United Nations Convention on Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the Zero Project annually honors projects that excel in innovation, impact, and scalability in fields related to disability inclusion. 

The T365 project, funded by World Vision and implemented by World Vision Malawi, was selected from 523 nominations from 97 countries centered on Inclusive Education and ICT solutions. The project integrates over 270 digital accessible books, many with audio and sign language video features, supporting universal design learning for all children, including those with disabilities. Operating across 60 reading clubs that meet twice weekly, this innovative educational program has reached 3,500 across Malawi, including more than 90 children with identified, print, learning, and hearing disabilities in their programs. Working with Malawi National Association of the Deaf (MANAD), the project extended to seven schools for children who are deaf.  

The award underlines World Vision’s innovative and scalable solutions to address early grade reading barriers using educational technology. Part of World Vision’s global Unlock Literacy program, the project employs solar-powered kits including solar panels, tablets equipped with microSD cards containing digital libraries, which include sign language storybooks, and micro-projectors and speakers for group learning. 

The program has had a profound impact on the children it services—like Hazel (not her real name), who is 14 years old and has low vision. She initially was not able to go to school due to discrimination because she has Albinism. She started primary school later than her peers but is now reading in Chichewa and English. In the T365 Digital Books reading camp, she values access to digital accessible books because all the stories are on tablets and can be shown on the wall through a projector, on which she can easily see the large print. According to her father, her learning and access to books through the T365 Digital Books project has helped her do well at school.  

The Zero Project Award highlights World Vision’s commitment to inclusive education, marking a significant recognition of our work to support children with disabilities in their educational journey. 

The award will be bestowed during the upcoming Zero Project Conference, a hybrid event hosted at the Vienna International Centre in Austria from February 21-23, 2024, where participants will share insights and further advocate for inclusive education initiatives.