‘When I go out, people throw jabs at us’: the Nigerian families fighting for their disabled children

Jul 16, 2026 - 08:15

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‘When I go out, people throw jabs at us’: the Nigerian families fighting for their disabled children

Stigma and superstition surround those with disabilities such as Down’s syndrome and cerebral palsy. But there is a growing move to raise awareness and increase inclusivity

When Fatima Muhammad was told to drown her infant son or abandon him in the forest to die, she brushed off the ludicrous suggestions fuelled by superstition. But when people began to run away, some screaming profanities at the sight of him, she knew they meant it. His crime was being born with Down’s syndrome.

Alameen was born in 2015, the fourth of Muhammad’s six children. He is happy and playful at home, his mother says; a child who loves to draw and dance. He communicates using the basic sign language he is slowly learning and the habit he has developed of taking Muhammad’s hand and leading her to whatever he needs.