Disability Advocacy

Girl smiling, standing beside a tree

Meet Rebecca: An Intern’s Experience with Kupenda

by Rebecca Heidorn

  • Posted on June 9, 2021

I took Politics of the Developing World with Dr. Melkonian in the fall of my sophomore year at Gordon College. As part of the course, Dr. Melkonian had various guest speakers come to our class to discuss their work with various non-profits and faith-based organizations. One of such guest speakers was Cynthia Bauer, the Executive…



Challenging Social Norms on Disability

Challenging Social Norms: Making Sexual and Reproductive Health Accessible to People with Disabilities

by Kupenda

  • Posted on April 9, 2021

Despite having the same sexual and reproductive health (SRH) needs as anyone else, people with disabilities often face stigma, discrimination, and barriers that prevent them from accessing SRH information and services. How can we work to meet the SRH needs of all people, including those with disabilities? To explore this issue, Sarah V. Harlan, Partnerships…



Emily Morrison receiving a donor appreciation gift at Kupenda’s 2019 Spring Celebration. Emily has given generously, both on her own and through her family foundation, to support children with disabilities in Kenya for more than 6 years. Hundreds of children are alive and thriving today because of her unwavering support and compassion.

How Do I Love a Body that Does not Love Itself?

by Kupenda

  • Posted on March 7, 2021

So often we write and talk about disability, but what does disability actually feel like for the people who experience it? What is their physical and social reality like on a daily basis? How does their disability shape the way they see themselves and the world? Earlier this month, one of Kupenda’s longtime friends and…



Three women standing within a circle of listening women

Blessed: Lessons Learned from our Work with Traditional Healers

by Jessica Charles Abrams

  • Posted on March 4, 2021

By, Jessica Charles, Kupenda’s Development Director The first time I sat in a workshop alongside 25 Kenyan traditional healers, I was nervous. I’d heard that these herbalists, soothsayers and witchdoctors were conducting painful traditional healing practices on children with disabilities in their communities — things like skin cutting, exorcisms, and live burials. Some of them…



Headshot of a woman, Michele Reber, wearing a blue shirt

“It Gives Me a Sense of Joy”: An Interview with Kupenda’s Friend, Michele Reber

by Jessica Charles Abrams

  • Posted on March 2, 2021

In this interview, our long-time support and friend, Michele Reber, shares stories of Kupenda’s early years and her perspective on our evolving approaches to disability inclusion. In her responses, Michele also describes how her relationship with Kupenda and its founder has kept her invested in our work for the past 19 years. We cannot thank…



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