Training Workshops

Kupenda organizes disability training workshops for teachers, social workers, families, and community health workers. During these sessions, participants discuss disability definitions, causes, and treatments and brainstorm ways they can improve their support to children with disabilities. These trainees help families and professionals provide more appropriate, high-quality support to children with disabilities in their care. They have also been instrumental in helping Kupenda identify children with disabilities in their communities and refer them to appropriate facilities and professionals for care.

SUCCESS STORIES

Trained Leaders Secure a New School for Children with CP

Zainabu was a young girl with cerebral palsy living in a community far from any type of specialized care or education that she needed. Her community largely held traditional views on disability, attributing Zainabu’s cerebral palsy to witchcraft. This isolated Zainabu and her family from their community members, which restricted their access to social and material resources. However, after Kupenda reached out to this community and conducted disability advocacy workshops, things began to turn around for Zainabu and her family. Educating families and leaders in the community about the true cause of Zainabu’s disability empowered them to change their perception and advocate for the rights of children with disabilities. Now, these trained leaders and community members have inspired the local government to set aside land and hire teachers for a new school that will offer more accessible specialized education for children like Zainabu. Read Zainabu’s full story here.

Improving Inclusion through Sign Language Trainings

Kadzo is a young woman who was born deaf and raised by a single mother of eight children. As a result, Kadzo had difficulty communicating with her family and relied only on gestures to communicate for 19 years. Fortunately, Kupenda was able to provide sign-language workshops for Kadzo’s mother and other families in the community. After almost two decades of isolation, Kadzo is now able to more effectively communicate with her mother, siblings, and other community members. Read Kadzo’s full story here.

Parent Education and Support Activities Improve Emmanuel’s Life

Emmanuel was born with severe cerebral palsy. His father, Alex, was told by everybody in the community that his son’s disability was a result of witchcraft. Because of this, Alex reached out to traditional healers for spiritual cures but neglected Emmanuel’s physical needs. Luckily, Kupenda was already working with another child with a disability in the community and heard of Alex’s struggles with his son. In response, our staff began establishing support groups and conducting disability advocacy workshops for parents of children with disabilities. These activities helped Emmanuel gain support and acceptance from his family and community members. He is now able to socialize with other people in his community and is also learning new skills that will help him live a more fulfilling life. Read Emmanuel’s full story here.