Improving Lives of Youth with Disabilities, Kenya

After experiencing a life changing experience
and a mutual friendship that Best Buddies provides to both students with and
without intellectual disability, 10 students from Ngei high school were
recruited into Best Buddies movement. Each new recruit “peer buddy” (a student
without intellectual disability) was matched into a one-to-one friendship with
a “buddy” (a student with intellectual disability) from Mathare special school
bringing to a total of 60 matches from 50 matches in the year 2012.” At first I
was kind of afraid to have a friend with intellectual disability because I
thought I would also be affected, that’s why I couldn’t join Best Buddies, but
after watching the development of my classmate’s friendship with his buddy, I
came to realize that it is just a normal friendship that comes with lots of joy
and experience in someone’s life. On the other hand the way peer buddies have
been having their chapter activities and meetings, it clearly shows how Best
Buddies also builds leadership skills amongst students without intellectual
disability who have been matched into a one-to-one friendship with buddies. “Said
15 year old Fredrick Mwanga, a newly recruited peer buddy from Ngei High school
who is in form two

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Best Buddies Kenya would like to express its
utmost THANKS to: all the donors who have been donating through GlobalGiving ,
teachers of Ngei high school and Mathare special school for their continous
programmatic support and the entire Best Buddies Student volunteers for making
it happen…

On 29th November 2012, Best Buddies chapters organized for a farewell party for all peer buddies who are sitting for their final form four high school examinations. The form four peer buddies from all the chapters and their buddies contributed some amount of money to organize for the event. A total of 60 buddy pairs from all the chapters attended this event that was organized at Ngei High school. Every school was represented by a faculty advisor teacher (the teacher who works closely with Best Buddies Kenya in terms of matching students).Also invited was Best Buddies Kenya, Executive Director, Enouce Ndeche.

 It was a great moment full of joy and fun activities and laughter as buddy pairs exchanged words of encouragements.”My experience with Best Buddies has been quite phenomenal; my buddy Felix juma has made a significant difference in my life and this is something that has been absorbed in me even when am out of school.”Said Patrick Njagi, peer buddy to Felix. There was lots of drinks and snacks as well some cool music playing in the background to grace the occasion.

 At the conclusion time, the chapter presidents (a student in charge of a chapter) from all the schools and buddy director (buddy representative from each school) were invited to the platform to express out their views about the Best Buddies friendship. All the presidents and buddy directors congratulated all buddy pairs for their impressive mutual friendship and wished all the peer buddies (students without intellectual disability) all the best and good luck as they face their final examinations.

 After the students comments, teachers were also invited to express their views.”It is such a great moment to see buddy pairs coming together for a farewell party, the friendship experience that they have had will no longer erase as this will continue for the rest of their lives. Starting it from Best Buddies is such a great start as they will have a positive perception towards people with intellectual disability and this will bridge the gap.”Said Mrs Josephine Atieno a teacher from Genesis High School.

Lastly, the Executive Director of Best Buddies Kenya,Enouce Ndeche was also invited to express his views.”I just wanna thank you all the buddy pairs for organizing this wonderful event. This really shows how Best Buddies friendship has been of great impact to your lives. If you are the people to create the change that we need and make this world an equal place where people with intellectual disability will freely be included in our social places, work places and our schools. Last I wish all peer buddies all the best in your final examination and thanking all the donors: corporate and individuals from GlobalGiving who have been making a generous contribution to support Best Buddies Kenya.”Said Enouce.

On 25th September 2012, members of Best Buddies Ngei High school chapter hosted a Best Buddies Kenya friendship forum at their school. 40 buddy pairs from all the chapters gathered together to experience, share and network with their colleagues from other schools about their mutual friendship. “This is the day that I have been looking forward to, just to know and learn the friendship relations from other chapter members means a lot to me.” Said Fridah a buddy from Mathare special school.

It was a jovial moment of experience and learning as buddy pairs came to mingle together enjoy and share ideas about their respective Best Buddies chapters. Also in attendance were 4 teachers from each chapter and Best Buddies Kenya, Executive Director, Mr.Enouce Ndeche.

The opening ceremony of the forum was conducted by Mr.Joshua Angote, the principal of Ngei High school who started by thanking all the participants for accepting the invitation. He also thanked the organizers and the donors for making it a success. “The inception of Best Buddies program in my school has been of great importance and revolution not only to the student participants but to ALL the entire teachers, staff, parents and the community surrounding. Gone are those times and days that people with intellectual disabilities were perceived as a curse in the society. We need to embrace them, socialize and integrate them into our schools, society and working places, and am super excited by Best Buddies Kenya for taking up this mantle to champion these values. I therefore wish you a wonderful moment of friendship interaction and all the BEST in your Best Buddies friendship endeavours. “Said Mr.Angote.He also welcomed other teachers from other schools who also praised the Best Buddies movement and thanked students from Ngei High school for organizing the forum.

 That awaited time of experiencing friendships, networking and getting to know each other came on board. Buddy pairs from every chapter mingled freely, talking to each other about their mutual friendships and the impact that Best Buddies movement has brought to their school and the entire community. “Joining Best Buddies has brought a lot of changes in my personal life and the lives of my family. Having that experience of having John, as my buddy is a significant revolution of my lifestyle. “Said 16 years old Charles Mwanga, peer buddy from St.Genesis chapter. The forum was brought into conclusion with remarks from Best Buddies Kenya, Executive Director who praised all the teachers and the buddy pairs and Best Buddies Kenya volunteer staff for making the event a great success.He also thanked all the Global Giving donors and safaricom foundation for their generous financial contribution towards Best Buddies Kenya movement and welcome them to visit the new website, www.bestbuddieskenya.org. He appealed for more financial support that would enable Best Buddies Kenya to organize this kind of events and deliver its activities effectively.

Best Buddies Kenya happily invites feedback requests from the donors as this would strengthen and direct us towards achieving our goals.

After experiencing a life changing experience and a mutual friendship that Best Buddies provides to both students with and without intellectual disability, 10 students from St Genesis  high school were recruited into Best Buddies movement. Each new recruit “peer buddy” (a student without intellectual disability) was matched into a one-to-one friendship with a “buddy” (a student with intellectual disability) from St. Maurus special school bringing to a total of 20 matches at St.Genesis High school chapter. At first I was kind of afraid to have a friend with intellectual disability because I thought I would also be affected, that’s why I couldn’t join Best Buddies, but after watching the development of my classmate’s friendship with his buddy, I came to realize that it is just a normal friendship that comes with lots of joy and experience in someone’s life. On the other hand the way peer buddies have been having their chapter activities and meetings, it clearly shows how Best Buddies also builds leadership skills amongst students without intellectual disability who have been matched into a one-to-one friendship with buddies. “Said 16 year old Samuel Mwangi, a newly recruited peer buddy from St.Genesis High school who is in form two

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Best Buddies Kenya would like to express its utmost THANKS to all the donors who have been donating through Global Giving.Additionally,we would like to thank teachers of St.Genesis high school and St.Maurus special school for their continuous programmatic support and the entire Best Buddies Student volunteers for making it happen.

On 15^th March 2012 just 2 months after school vacation, members of Ngei High School Chapter of Best Buddies gathered for their organization meeting. The meeting took place in one of the Ngei High School’s classrooms. It was a successful meeting with a lively interchange between the 30 peer buddies from Ngei High School and the 30 buddies from Mathare special School. Four associate buddies were also present at the meeting

Every chapter of Best Buddies Kenya is required to have an organizational meeting once a year. Organization meetings serve many purposes, including:

Socializing and Sharing Personal Storing and Mutual Experiences

Reflecting On the Personal Impact of the Best Buddies Program

During the Ngei meeting, the chapter president introduced peer buddy, Samwel Juma and his buddy, John Onyango.. The buddy pairs expressed how meaningful their mutual friendship has become and how much enjoyment and fun their friendship has generated for themselves, their immediate families and their local community. Both expressed confidence that the chapter would be a beacon of friendship and integration for people with and without intellectual disabilities.

Emphasizing the Commitment Needed When Joining a Chapter

During the meeting, the Ngei  High School chapter president reminded his fellow peer buddies about the policies and procedures of Best Buddies and that: (1)pear Buddy agrees to be paired for one academic  year, (2) make contact once a week either  in  person, by email, phone or mail; (3) have two one-to-one activities per month ;(4) attend all chapter meetings and group activities throughout the school year; (5) student can join as peer buddies or associate members agree to attend chapter meetings and group activities, but are not matched in a one-to one friendship. Associate members can also join committees to help plan activities or fundraisers.

Explaining the importance of the Best Buddies High School Chapters

The Ngei meeting was attended by the executive Director of Best Buddies Kenya.  In his address to the peer buddies and buddies, he explained that Best Buddies fulfill its mission in High Schools by facilitating mutually enriching one-to –one friendship between high school students and their peer in special schools. The Director expressed many thanks to all the donors who have contributed through globalgiving for making everything for BBK a great success