Blog
Three smiling students in matching school uniforms pose together outdoors, with one student forming a heart shape with their hands

Back to School: Recognizing the Gifts Around Us

by Lauren Blair

  • Posted on August 28, 2026

This summer, I had the privilege of returning to Kenya to see Kupenda’s programs in person. Although I first traveled there almost 20 years ago as a volunteer and returned several times, I had not visited since 2012. I never imagined those early trips would eventually lead me to chair Kupenda’s board, then join its…



A mother holds her young son on her lap while a community health workers interacts with him during a home visit

From Rejection to Belonging: How One Community Health Promoter Helped Transform a Family’s Life

by Rebecca Heidorn, Kupenda

  • Posted on August 24, 2026

For Sanita, raising her young son Ezekiel, who has a disability, once meant facing stigma, isolation, and uncertainty about where to turn for help. Today, Ezekiel is receiving regular therapy, relatives are helping with his care, and their community has become more accepting. Daniel, a local Community Health Promoter (CHP) equipped through Kupenda’s disability advocacy…



A woman holds hands with a student seated in a wheelchair at a school in Kenya, smiling as other students gather nearby in the school courtyard

From Gatorade to Global Disability Inclusion: Celebrating 17 Years of Partnership with Emily Morrison and the Gloria Dei Foundation

by Jessica Charles Abrams

  • Posted on August 9, 2026

A sports drink created to restore depleted bodies has become part of a family legacy devoted to restoring hope, dignity, and belonging for people with disabilities around the world. A Legacy of Faith and Generosity Dr. Bob Cade’s invention of Gatorade generated resources that he and his wife, Mary, used to support churches, organizations, and…



Woman standing outside a stone home with a blue water barrel and a small child’s chair in the courtyard.

Building Livelihoods Programs That Include Caregivers and Youth with Disabilities

by Jessica Charles Abrams

  • Posted on July 28, 2026

For years, Lea Guyo worked hard to support her family in rural Kilifi, Kenya. But her income from farming and small businesses was seasonal and unpredictable. Caring for her son Samuel, who has Down syndrome, also required significant time and attention, limiting how consistently she could work. Her family often struggled to afford food, healthcare,…



More Alike Than Different

by Kupenda

  • Posted on July 28, 2026

By Grayson Blair, Age 12 My mom, Lauren Blair, works for Kupenda in the U.S. and has been talking about Kupenda’s mission to support people with disabilities for a long time. She’s told my younger brother and I lots of stories about the people she’s met and the schools she’s visited in Kenya. We also…



Follow Us on Social Media!

Blog Archives

2006-2017