Lusaka, Zambia — The Zambia Federation of Disability Organisations (ZAFOD), working with YADIZ, marked World Assistive Technology Day on 4 June 2026 with a high-level stakeholder breakfast meeting. The event formed part of the #UnlockTheEveryday campaign, which raises awareness of assistive technology across Southern Africa.
The meeting took place at the ZAFOD Secretariat. It brought together a wide range of voices. Attendees included officials from the Ministry of Community Development and Social Services, organisations of persons with disabilities, rehabilitation service providers, researchers and journalists. Persons with disabilities also attended, including people with hearing impairments, albinism, prosthetic users and wheelchair users.
The meeting opened with a presentation from a researcher. The presentation covered the importance of assistive technology and the challenges that limit access to it in Zambia. Disacare, a company that makes and repairs assistive devices, then shared details of its work. The Ministry of Community Development and Social Services and the Zambia Agency for Persons with Disabilities (ZAPD) followed with updates on their roles in supporting disability inclusion and assistive technology provision.
A question-and-answer session gave participants the chance to raise concerns directly. ZAFOD streamed the event live on its Facebook page, allowing people outside the room to follow the discussion and take part in the conversation online.
Cost remains the biggest barrier
Participants spoke openly about the challenges they face. The high cost of assistive devices came up as the most pressing concern. Many people raised wider worries too. These included the availability of devices, how affordable they are, how easy they are to access, and how well they get maintained once in use.
Attendees also asked for more clarity on government policy. They wanted to know what interventions exist to improve access to assistive technology in Zambia, and how these policies are being put into practice.
A call for stronger action
The breakfast meeting closed with a clear set of recommendations. These included the following points.
- Increase investment in assistive technology across Zambia.
- Improve the affordability and accessibility of assistive devices.
- Strengthen systems for providing and repairing assistive products.
- Raise public awareness of assistive technology and its benefits.
- Support the implementation of policies and programmes that help persons with disabilities.
ZAFOD said the event strengthened collaboration between stakeholders. It gave government, civil society, researchers and persons with disabilities a shared space to exchange knowledge and discuss solutions.
Part of a wider regional push
This event is one of many activities held under the Unlock the Everyday campaign. The campaign runs across eight Southern African countries: Malawi, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Eswatini, South Africa, Botswana, Zambia and Lesotho. It is led by SAFOD, with funding from UNOPS and AT Scale, the Global Partnership for Assistive Technology.
Globally, only 10% of people in low-income countries can access the assistive technology they need. In high-income countries, that figure rises to 90%. Events like the ZAFOD breakfast meeting aim to close this gap by pushing for real change at the local level.
Follow the campaign on social media using #UnlockTheEveryday, #WorldATDay and #MeAndMyAT.