A Life Changing Journey: Autism in Ethiopia

As a speech-language therapist with nearly 30 years of experience, I find joy in every step of the journey. With my first global adventure to Ethiopia, I had the privilege of connecting with parents and professionals passionately advocating for change and striving to improve the lives of the children they care for.

My trip to Ethiopia deeply impacted my professional life and direction. In September, 2023, I was invited to travel to Ethiopia to provide training for parents and professionals in schools and homes in the area of autism. Knowledge of autism and awareness is limited but beginning to grow. There was only one known speech language therapist in the country at the time. My focus? To help build a basic foundation of understanding and provide strategies to improve speech and language skills.

I arrived in Ethiopia armed with donated sensory toys, educational tools and visual supports to share with families and educators. After a 14-hour flight, I had just enough time to adjust before my first parent training, and it turned out to be one of the most impactful moments of the entire trip.

Maybe it was the excitement of the first training, or maybe it was the overwhelming need I witnessed, but something about that session opened my eyes. I had just two hours to share a lot of new information. Parents were asked to hold their questions until the end, but one father couldn’t wait. After hearing the section on the connections between autism and sensory needs, he stood up and said, “We’ve never heard this before. Can you explain it all again?” So, we circled back and started that section over again.

As the training progressed, more and more parents poured into the room until we had to move to a larger space. When we finally wrapped up the presentation, the floodgates opened with two hours' worth of heartfelt, urgent questions. Each parent left with a translated core communication board, visual schedule pictures, and a donation item to support their child at home.

That was just the beginning of a full week of trainings from visiting schools to leading teacher and parent workshops. I was able to personally visit two homes to further support on a one on one basis. What struck me most was how eager these parents were to learn and how desperate they were for information. Many had no one to turn to for answers. With only one master’s-level speech therapist in the entire country at the time, speech and language services were nonexistent. Some families shared that their children were treated poorly or viewed as a curse, and yet, the love these parents had for their children was clear. They just needed support and information in order to take the next steps.

This journey was life-changing. It showed me a powerful new way to use my skills as a speech-language therapist. I’ve stayed in contact with many of the families and educators I met, and I’m looking forward to returning again and again! If you are a speech-language therapist wondering how else you can make an impact, consider looking globally to provide support in much-needed locations!

Karen Taylor, M.S., CCC-SLP, CAS

Speech-Language Pathologist

Founder, Universal Speech Strategies

"Helping parents and professionals build communication through practical, evidence-based strategies."