In short
- The Africa Dyslexia Organisation (ADO) from Ghana is the newest member of the International Federation of Dyslexia and Dyscalculia Associations (IFDDA).
- It is IFDDA’s first member in sub-Saharan Africa.
- Founder and Executive Director Rosalin Abigail Kyere-Nartey learned at 30 that she is dyslexic.
- The ADO trains teachers, supports families, and runs a Dyslexia Advocate Fellowship in 38 African countries.
- In the United States, the ADO is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit (EIN 99-3270841).
The International Federation of Dyslexia and Dyscalculia Associations welcomes a new member: the Africa Dyslexia Organisation (ADO) from Ghana, our first member in sub-Saharan Africa.
Across much of Africa, children who learn differently are still called lazy or slow, and many leave school without anyone ever recognizing dyslexia. The Africa Dyslexia Organisation was founded to change that. Since its first nationwide awareness campaign in Ghana in 2020 [1], it has grown into a pan-African non-profit that works with schools, families, governments, and international partners so that learning differences are recognized and supported.
Who is the Africa Dyslexia Organisation?
The organization was founded by Rosalin Abigail Kyere-Nartey, who is also its Executive Director. Growing up in Suhum, Ghana, she could not read or write her own name until the age of 17. “I endured years of being called lazy and slow, of being punished for what I could not yet do. At 30 years old, I finally learned the truth: I am dyslexic,” she said at the Africa Dyslexia Conference 2025 [2]. That discovery did not limit her. It showed her strengths and turned into lifelong advocacy for others.
In their own words, from their membership application:
Africa Dyslexia Organisation is a pan-African nonprofit advancing the rights, inclusion and opportunities of people with dyslexia and related learning differences across Africa. We work through teacher training, early identification and screening, structured literacy, research, family support, advocacy, and inclusive education and workplace practices. Our vision is an Africa where no child is unseen and no talent is left behind.
The ADO has a team of about twenty educators, reading specialists, trainers, and counselors [3], and an international board that includes Lee Siang, CEO of the Dyslexia Association of Singapore, and Jennifer Topple of The Howard School in Atlanta [4]. In the United States, the organization is recognized as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt non-profit under EIN 99-3270841 [5].
What does the ADO do?
In practice, the Africa Dyslexia Organisation:
- trains teachers in early identification, screening, and structured literacy,
- supports families and adults with dyslexia,
- runs the Dyslexia Advocate Fellowship, which connects advocates in 38 African countries,
- appoints Dyslexia Youth Ambassadors who lead awareness work in their own schools and communities [6],
- and works with ministries, universities, and employers on inclusive education and workplace practices.
Two projects show the scale. In 2025, with a grant from UNESCO and support from the Ghana Commission for UNESCO, the ADO ran a training program for 500 teachers in Ghana on how to identify and support students with dyslexia [7]. In August 2025, it hosted the Africa Dyslexia Conference in Accra under the theme “Shifting Minds, Inspiring Action.” About 400 delegates came together: policymakers, educators, researchers, business leaders, and people with lived experience of dyslexia [2][8].
Why it matters for IFDDA
With the Africa Dyslexia Organisation, the federation gains its first member in sub-Saharan Africa and a partner whose network already spans much of the continent. Building awareness where dyslexia has long gone unrecognized is exactly the kind of work a federation should support. We look forward to giving the ADO a larger stage and to learning from its experience across so many countries.
The International Federation of Dyslexia and Dyscalculia Associations (IFDDA) is a non-profit federation incorporated in Florida in 2011. It connects dyslexia and dyscalculia associations worldwide, and its members exchange knowledge, methods, and experience across borders. The American Dyslexia Association, which publishes this blog, is a member; the ADA-accredited Dyslexia Trainer Certification Program follows the IFDDA training standards. For background on how the federation approaches training, read Approaches to Dyslexia Training.
You can find the Africa Dyslexia Organisation at africadyslexia.org, and all IFDDA members at ifdda.org.
If you run a non-profit dyslexia or dyscalculia organization and would like to join the federation, membership is free. Apply at ifdda.org.
More IFDDA member news
- The Dyscalculia Network (England)
- Sharjah Center for Learning Difficulties (United Arab Emirates)
- Jamaica Dyslexia Association (Jamaica)
Frequently asked questions
The Africa Dyslexia Organisation (ADO) is a pan-African non-profit based in Ghana. It advances the rights and inclusion of people with dyslexia and related learning differences through teacher training, early identification, structured literacy, family support, and advocacy. Website: africadyslexia.org.
Rosalin Abigail Kyere-Nartey founded the ADO and serves as its Executive Director. She grew up in Suhum, Ghana, and learned at the age of 30 that she is dyslexic.
Yes. In the United States, Africa Dyslexia Organization Inc is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization with EIN 99-3270841, listed on ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer.
The Dyslexia Advocate Fellowship is an ADO program that connects dyslexia advocates in 38 African countries, strengthens local leadership, and builds a continental movement for learning differences.
Non-profit dyslexia and dyscalculia organizations can apply for free membership at ifdda.org.
Sources
- Citi Newsroom: Africa Dyslexia Organization launches nationwide awareness campaign, June 29, 2020. citinewsroom.com
- Ghanaian Times: Founder of ADO advocates evidence-based understanding of dyslexia, August 27, 2025. ghanaiantimes.com.gh
- Africa Dyslexia Organisation: Meet the Team. africadyslexia.org
- Africa Dyslexia Organisation: Our Board. africadyslexia.org
- ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer: Africa Dyslexia Organization Inc, EIN 99-3270841. projects.propublica.org
- Graphic Online: Organisation names youth ambassadors to champion dyslexia inclusion. graphic.com.gh
- B&FT: Africa Dyslexia Organisation, UNESCO and partners champion inclusive learning for 500 teachers, March 15, 2025. thebftonline.com
- Africa Dyslexia Organisation: Africa Dyslexia Conference 2025. africadyslexia.org