UNICEF reports on a school in Bamako, Mali, that ensures its 160 pupils with hearing impairments have an education.

By Alex Duval Smith

Like all children, those with disabilities have many abilities, but are often excluded from society by discrimination and lack of support, leaving them among the most invisible and vulnerable children in the world.

On 30 May, UNICEF launched its flagship report The State of the World’s Children 2013: Children with Disabilities. The report brings global attention to the urgent needs of a largely invisible population.

It’s been almost 10 years since teachers searched the streets of Bamako for hearing-impaired Malian children, 19 of whom would be their first pupils. Today, the School of Hope is ensuring that its 160 pupils have an education - and a role at the centre of their families.

See more on the website of UNICEF