The father of a child with a disability in Malawi said of a U.S.-funded program closure: “When the program was there, we had hope that his life could improve. Now we are worried about what will happen to him.”

Date: 6/26

Region: Africa

Country: Malawi

Topic: Gender Equality & Inclusion, Education

Policy Lens: Moral Leadership

Entry Type: Field Observation

Additional Context: This information comes from a report produced by Inclusive Development Partners, or IDP, a research and technical assistance organization. Using a mixed-methods design under IRB approval from the University of Massachusetts Boston, the study triangulated a global survey of staff from 82 projects across 80 implementing organizations with key informant interviews and focus group discussions across eight countries where IDP had existing programs: Bangladesh, El Salvador, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Nepal, Nigeria, and Pakistan. Data collection took place between January and March 2026.

According to IDP, parents described feeling not just frustrated by the loss of practical support, but cut off from the future they had begun to imagine for their children.

Source: Inclusive Development Partners