Author: Kupenda

Finding Purpose in Kilifi: My Journey Volunteering with Kuhenza in Kenya

by Kupenda

  • Posted on October 21, 2025

By: Deborah Schultz How I Landed in Kilifi I’m a pediatric occupational therapist living north of Boston, Massachusetts. For years, I’ve dreamed of participating in a mission trip—an opportunity to share my skills, learn from others, and give back in a meaningful way. But between building a career and raising four daughters, the timing never…



Shaping Inclusion: How Mainstreaming a Child with a Disability Transformed a School and Inspired a Community

by Kupenda

  • Posted on October 8, 2025

Furaha Samuel, a 21-year-old girl with brittle bone disease from Mongotini, Kilifi County, spent her early education in boarding special schools—Gede Special School for primary and Sahajanad Special Secondary School for secondary. After her first year in secondary school, Furaha did not want to return to Sahajanad, citing insufficient support and the distance from home.…



Rising Above: How Rose Became a Netball Star

by Kupenda

  • Posted on June 26, 2025

Due to stigma, discrimination, and a lack of resources, many children with disabilities in low-income countries lack opportunities to demonstrate their full potential. For one girl named Rose, however, Kupenda’s Child Scholarship Program provided the support she needed to not only succeed in school but also to become a celebrated netball star. Overcoming Early Obstacles…



From Summer Camp to Global Advocacy: A Journey Toward Disability Inclusion

by Kupenda

  • Posted on June 24, 2025

By, Beth Melillo Beth Melillo is an organizational development and change management specialist with an M.S. degree in industrial-organizational psychology and a B.A. in English. She regularly leads change and transformation through people, systems, and strategy. She currently contributes her time, talent, and passion for supporting people with disabilities as the secretary on Kupenda’s board…



Kupenda’s Program Officer Wins Outstanding Public Health Graduate Student Award!

by Kupenda

  • Posted on June 23, 2025

This spring, our Program Officer, Rebecca Heidorn, won Liberty University’s Outstanding Master of Public Health (MPH) Student Award in the Community Health Promotion concentration. Rebecca, a Maine-based public health professional and graduate student, was selected for this honor due to her commitment to serving marginalized populations, both locally and internationally. A Champion for Children with…



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