Our Philosophy
Why DeSanto Exists
"Deaf children are entitled to know they are heirs to an amazing culture not a pitiful defect."
Our students and their families are proof of the transformative power of access to specialized instruction and a supportive, inclusive community.
Across Southern Province, an estimated 300 or more deaf children have no access to sign language or formal education. In rural communities, deaf children have lived for generations without any means of communication, unable to connect even with their own families. For many, DeSanto is not simply a school. It is the first place they have ever truly been understood.
DeSanto is the only specialized deaf education facility within an eight-hour travel radius. For families across Southern Province, this is not one option among many. It is the only option. That reality carries both responsibility and urgency. When you are the only school serving deaf children across hundreds of square kilometres, excellence is not optional. It is a moral imperative.
We do not simply educate students. We steward Deaf education for an entire region, providing not only academics but communication itself, alongside nutritious meals, life skills coaching, organized sports, vocational training, and creative arts. At DeSanto, a child does not just gain an education. They gain a future.
Our Mission
At DeSanto Centre for the Deaf, we believe education and communication are the foundation of equality.
We provide deaf and hard-of-hearing children in Zambia with high-quality education, sign language instruction, and vocational skills that open the door to independence and inclusion.
Our holistic approach removes barriers to learning by providing transportation, nutritious meals, and safe spaces that allow every child to focus and thrive.
We work closely with parents to strengthen communication at home and break down social barriers, while raising community awareness to challenge stigma and promote Deaf culture.
Through special programs for girls, we provide our female students with the health knowledge, confidence, and self-advocacy skills to pursue equality and build empowered futures.
In rural African communities, deaf children have lived for generations without any means of communication, unable to connect even with their own families. The DeSanto Centre for the Deaf transforms this devastating reality into hope.
It’s a comprehensive community where students emerging from extreme poverty access nutritious meals, life skills coaching, organized sports, vocational training, and creative arts alongside their academic education.
When you are the only school serving deaf children across hundreds of square kilometres, excellence isn’t optional. It’s a moral imperative. We don’t just educate students; we steward Deaf education for an entire region.
Why We're Different
Academic Excellence
100% student advancement rate since 2015. Recognized by the Zambian Ministry of Education
Zambian-Led Educators
All teachers are local to Livingstone, have degrees in special education and are fluent in ASL and ZSL
Only Deaf School in the Region
We are the only specialized Deaf education facility within an 8-hour radius in Southern Province, Zambia
Holistic Care Model
We couple academics, with sign language, nutritious meals, arts, health education, vocational training, and sign language training for families, providing holistic Deaf community care
Our Approach to Student Success
We believe that academic success is inseparable from a child’s sense of safety, belonging, and confidence. Our approach is built on four interconnected pillars that together create the conditions every student needs to thrive.
At DeSanto, every child is treated with dignity and respect. Our teachers receive ongoing training to ensure each student feels valued, understood, and empowered, with particular attention to those who arrive with little or no support at home. We greet our students with warmth, enthusiasm, and positivity, reinforcing their strengths and celebrating their growth. By fostering a space where children feel safe, supported, and inspired, we help them unlock their full potential academically, socially, and emotionally.
Language acquisition begins from birth, and research shows that deaf children can start learning sign language as early as three months old. That is why we encourage families to enroll their children as early as possible, ensuring they have the same foundation for lifelong success as their hearing peers. We work closely with parents and caregivers through workshops on communication, sign language, and ways to support their child’s learning at home. Through open days and ongoing dialogue, we build collaborative relationships with families, discussing progress, challenges, and successes along the way. A child who is supported at school and at home has every reason to flourish.
Many of our students arrive having been excluded from group activities and decision-making for most of their lives. At DeSanto, that changes from day one. We create opportunities for students to work together, solve problems collectively, and develop the confidence that comes from being a valued member of a team. By fostering unity and shared responsibility, we help students build the social and leadership skills they will carry into adulthood.
Our classrooms are dynamic, engaging spaces where students feel empowered to ask questions, explore new ideas, and express themselves freely. Sign language is at the heart of every lesson, helping students expand their vocabulary, develop strong communication skills, and build confidence. We also encourage peer mentorship, where older students support and guide younger learners, creating a collaborative and inclusive environment where every student has a role to play in the success of the whole.
