In January, 2006, the Polus Center hosted a small fact-finding delegation to Zambia to learn about the relationship between disabilities and HIV/AIDS through support from the Schiffman Foundation. It was learned that social stigma, poverty, and other factors make persons with disabilities more vulnerable to HIV/AIDS and other overarching issues, but less likely to receive services. As a result, the Polus Center helped local Zambians to begin their own organization to begin addressing the problem.

The Polus Center provided a small amount of start-up funding and technical support to Ubuntu Association of Zambia. The objective is to begin filling the gap between persons with disabilities on the ground and the overarching services providing for health and HIV/AIDS care, education, food, and economic opportunities in the community.

Beginning small, Ubuntu began working with a couple of families that they had identified as the most vulnerable within their group. The Polus Center worked with Ubuntu to formalize its activities as "case management" and "grassroots advocacy" to insure that people with disabilities received the same services that other community members are entitled to and to advocate and create awareness in the community to become more inclusive.

Some examples of Ubuntu's work with families are:

Mrs. T is a single mother supporting four children and grandchildren, two with disabilities, living in a tent on the outskirts of Lusaka. Mrs. T had no means of support, so Ubuntu helped her to start a small business selling corn puffs in the city market. Soon, with lots of help and advice, she was making enough money to not only insure that the whole family was fed, but to begin building a home on their small plot of land. Ubuntu meets with her weekly, following up to make sure the kids get healthcare when they need it, the business remains viable, and assisting in any way they can.

C. is a twelve year old girl who had suffered paralysis as a reaction (stroke) to antiretroviral treatment for HIV. She lives with her mother and three siblings on the outskirts of Lusaka. The community school that C. had been attending had expelled her because the headmaster said they were not equipped to "handle disabled kids" despite C.'s ability to continue walking despite partial paralysis and the lack of any neurological damage from the stroke. In fact, daily C. came to the school grounds to visit her playmates but was barred by the teachers from entering the classroom. Being tossed out of school not only meant C. was now no longer learning and now socially isolated, but it also made the family ineligible for the World Food Program that is distributed through the schools. Ubuntu, after making no headway with the school's administration, went to the highest levels in the community school (i.e. its NGO funder) to advocate that she be readmitted and even went beyond to do a workshop and sensitivity training with all of the teachers and students to better understand disability.