Disability Advocacy

Turning Tragedy into Testimony: A Memorial for Kenya’s Lost Children

by Jessica Charles Abrams

  • Posted on August 4, 2025

In Kilifi, Kenya, there is a patch of land where healing is beginning to take root—a site once marked by silence and sorrow is now becoming a place of remembrance, transformation, and hope. For generations, children born with disabilities in this region were viewed not as blessings but as burdens—evidence of curses, witchcraft, or divine…



Finding Hope: How Counseling and New Mental Health Tools Saved a Mother’s Life

by Jessica Charles Abrams

  • Posted on August 4, 2025

When *Halima was referred to Kupenda in early 2025, she was facing overwhelming challenges. Her son, *Kiptoo, who lives with microcephaly, was struggling to stay in school because she couldn’t afford the fees. At the same time, her husband had begun showing signs of erratic behavior, possibly linked to schizophrenia, and was no longer able…



What are Your Grandchildren Learning from You?

by Jessica Charles Abrams

  • Posted on June 26, 2025

Not long ago, my Aunt Mari shared photos of a young man she’s been supporting through Kupenda’s scholarship program. She keeps them on her fridge with progress reports about the student—now a confident adult educator of deaf students in Kilifi, Kenya, thanks in large part to Aunt Mari’s support. Aunt Mari has now provided scholarship…



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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