Disability Advocacy

A girl smiling and seated outside in a wheelchair, wearing a brown checkered shirt.

Creating Possibilities: Living a Life of Achievement with Cerebral Palsy

by Lauren Blair

  • Posted on March 19, 2024

Many years ago, while volunteering in a classroom at the Gede Special School in Kenya, a particular student’s smile always stood out to me. Gladys was a little girl with cerebral palsy, a developmental disability that affected her movement, posture, and coordination. Her demeanor was warm but unassuming. At home, her parents would often comment…



Bernard Mwamyue Infograph

Honoring a Leader in the Disability Community

by Rebecca Heidorn

  • Posted on March 4, 2024

Last month, Kupenda’s Kenyan staff mourned the loss of Bernard Mwamuye, a passionate teacher and prominent disability advocate in Kilifi County, Kenya. Bernard was an officer at the Education Assessment and Research Center (EARC), which helps identify the nature and severity of children’s disabilities in order to best meet their educational needs. Bernard also collaborated…



rwanda student

Reaching Rwanda: Kupenda’s Partnership with Uwezo Youth Empowerment

by Lauren Blair

  • Posted on January 10, 2024

One of Kupenda’s main missions is to share its disability inclusion strategies and tools with other organizations so that a greater number of people impacted by disability can become more active participants in their communities. Recently, this included meeting with Uwezo Youth Empowerment, a Disabled Persons’ Organization (DPO) in Rwanda that combats the stigma, prejudice,…



Citizen TV Kenya’s Interview with Kupenda’s Kenyan Field Staff

by Rebecca Heidorn

On the United Nations’ International Disability Day (December 3, 2023) Citizen TV Kenya interviewed Kupenda’s Kenyan field staff, Loice Maluki during a local celebration. A recording of their interview can be accessed here and the translated transcript is included below. Loice Maluki: “Kuhenza for the Children is a non-profit organization that supports children with disabilities in Kilifi…



A photo of the outside of a Malindi Sub-county hospital

They Never Come Back: Barriers to Healthcare in Kenya

by Rebecca Heidorn

  • Posted on December 11, 2023

Children with disabilities face many barriers to accessible healthcare in Kenya. Since many of them lack birth certificates, they are unable to apply for and receive health insurance, making many services too expensive for their families to afford. There are also very few health practitioners trained to treat disabilities and associated health implications. Perhaps one…



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