Help Kenyan children with disabilities into school

We are thrilled to share that the DCC recently received 35 wheelchairs along with associated staff training, through an initiative jointly delivered by Motivation Africa and Hands Around the World.

Charles Kanyi and Samson Ndeti from Motivation visited on 1^st August to train the DCC staff on assembling and fitting the devices for recipients according to WHO policy. The training was very thorough and took the whole week and went well. It was then left to the DCC staff to issue the remaining wheelchairs to identified recipients, fitting them as per the training. A further five wheelchairs are pending delivery as part of the initiative and will be allocated as appropriate once received.

Also in early August, following the appointment of new DCC Board Members, a Board of Management training was conducted, supported by HATW, with ten Board Members trained.

The training first familiarised the participants with core aspects of the DCC, including the DCC’s constitution, vision, mission, policy guidelines and strategic plan. The training proceeded to cover diverse topics including roles of the Board, good governance, leading change, strategic planning, the ten commandments of leadership and finally why projects fail. The training also engaged the participants to identify financial priorities as well as introducing the Board Members to various technical tools in planning. The topics were very well presented and the training well received.

The DCC is now run on sun! The office at the DCC has struggled in the past with a lack of consistent power supply at the Centre. This has meant unpredictable power outages that have proved disruptive to administrative and other functions and hampered the day-to-day management of the Centre. This challenge really came to the fore during the Covid-19 pandemic, when restrictions on movement and in-person gatherings necessitated a shift to digital modes of communicating for individuals, communities and organisations. As people became increasingly accustomed to online approaches to communicating and doing business, it was clear the new ways of working were here to stay and that the Centre could not continue to operate effectively in conditions of repeated power outages.

Accordingly, Hands Around the World recently supported the installation of solar panels and a battery system for the DCC office. We are happy to report that the solar panels have proved to be a great success, providing an uninterrupted power supply for the DCC’s computers, internet connection and lighting, and doing so in a clean and renewable way that doesn’t contribute to climate change.  

The installation of a renewable energy source at the DCC aligns with Kenya’s wider efforts towards low carbon climate-resilient development and forms part of Hands Around the World’s commitment to supporting environmentally friendly actions at our partner projects. Indeed, we will soon be announcing a new initiative to support projects that help mitigate the impacts of climate change and build adaptive capacity and community resilience to climate change. For news on this exciting plan as it emerges, subscribe to our newsletter.

It has been a busy time at the DCC. The Centre marked the UN International Day of Persons with Disabilities on 3rd of December 2022, through an event which brought together like-minded organisations from across Meru County, to help raise awareness of the challenges facing persons with disabilities in Kenya, and to promote the rights and participation of persons with disabilities in all aspects of Kenyan society. The event was graced by The Deputy Governor of Meru, and was very well attended. The event also showcased livelihoods crafts of persons with disabilities, and in-kind donations were distributed.

In other news, we are delighted to share that the DCC is working in partnership with HATW to construct desperately needed classrooms at Irindiro Special School in Meru. Classroom overcrowding at Irindiro presents substantial challenges for pupils and teachers alike, and once complete the new classrooms will ensure lessons can be delivered in an environment more conducive to learning and appropriate to the needs of children with disabilities. This project is funded by Welsh Government’s Wales Africa Grant Scheme, administered by WCVA. We look forward to bringing you more news on this exciting development in a future update.

Through the fantastic generosity of HATW's supporters, the Disability Community Centre (DCC) in Maua, Kenya, continues to nurture local children with disabilities – encouraging every boy and girl to develop their interests and talents, and supporting them to showcase and share these gifts with one another. Most recently, the DCC held a children’s forum to bring together children from the different special schools supported by the project.

The event provided an opportunity to interact and share the challenges faced by the institutions as well as celebrate successes. It was also a chance for the children with special needs to demonstrate their talents in song, dance and poems, providing a platform from which to express themselves and to inspire each other. You’ll find some wonderful pictures of the children’s forum included with this report.

HATW also recently made a combined effort with the mobility charity Motivation Africa to provide the DCC with 40 new wheelchairs and associated assembly, fitting and user training. HATW also continues to support the provision of sitting and standing aids to children who require such assistance to participate in daily life and the activities at the DCC. These initiatives are part of the DCC’s commitment to providing children with disabilities access to high quality equipment and support, helping ensure that they are able to succeed in their endeavours no matter the challenges they face.

The Disability Community Centre continues to provide assistive devices to children with disabilities. Some of these essential items are the sitting and standing aids. These devices are used by children who have a challenge in standing and/or sitting. They are essential in ensuring the children are able to participate in daily activities including joining the family routine and participating in play activities with other children.

The challenge is that the conventional sitting and standing aids are beyond the reach of most of the parents due to the cost. The DCC has embarked on making these items through appropriate technology. They are being manufactured using simple items such as paper and cardboard. The cost of the DCC item is just a fraction of the price of the conventional ones (less than a quarter of the cost). But some parents still cannot afford the cheaper DCC items. Please consider a donation if you would like to help these families. 

The pictures below demonstrate the process of making the items as well as children enjoying the end products...