Outreach - 100 Women with Disabled Children

Dear wonderful supporters,

We are so pleased to share an update on the incredible outreach work our Strong Mamas are now leading in Kenya.

Over the past few months, 35 caregivers graduated from 19 weeks of Strong Mamas training at the Edmund Rice Centre in Nairobi, gaining practical knowledge in mental health, maternal and women’s health, disability awareness, financial literacy and community engagement.

Of these, 13 women attended all 19 sessions and have now begun leading outreach in Kibera, supporting families who are often beyond the reach of traditional services.

And they have taken to it like a fish to water.

Why? Because they are one of them.

Our Strong Mamas understand the isolation, stigma and challenges that can come with raising a child with a disability. They build trust because they come from the community themselves. They listen, encourage and connect families with information and support.

“Because, before I joined the group, I was lonely... But through Strong Mamas, I have gained courage.”

The impact is already being recognised. Langata Hospital is now calling on our Strong Mamas to visit families in the community that hospital workers are unable to reach, providing peer support, encouragement and hope where it is needed most.

And this approach is backed by the independent evaluation of Strong Mamas. Participant wellbeing scores increased from 35.8 to 53.6, while the number of mothers experiencing poor wellbeing fell from 19 to 8. Most importantly, participants described moving from isolation towards belonging.

“I feel I belong somewhere.”

That is what Strong Mamas is about.

The women are no longer simply receiving support. They are becoming the support for other mothers.

Thank you for making this possible. Your support is helping mothers find their voice, strengthen their families and reach others who might otherwise remain isolated.

Erin