Rooted in Resilience: Jumwa’s Story

For many parents of children with disabilities, it can be challenging to balance the additional needs of caring for a child with a disability along with attaining financial stability. This is due to a number of factors, including heightened stigma, added healthcare expenses, and limited job opportunities. One of the ways Kupenda comes alongside caregivers and youth with disabilities is through its Livelihoods Program, which provides access to economic opportunities through education, mentorships, support groups, microloans, and trainings. As a result, mothers like Jumwa are better equipped to meet their family’s needs and take ownership of their financial futures.

Jumwa’s Story

When Jumwa gave birth, her daughter, Emmaculate, developed cerebral palsy. As she grew, Jumwa began to struggle to support her daughter’s need for physical therapy, transportation, and other medical care while also supporting her seven-person household. Although Jumwa and her husband were both employed, they found it difficult to earn enough for food, let alone their other needs.

That is why 90% of families impacted by disability in Jumwa’s community in Kenya resort to farming to supplement their income. Unfortunately, the soil at Jumwa’s home was sandy, unfertile, and did not retain water, while climate change caused unreliable rainfall.

Hope for the Future

Jumwa’s prospects changed, however, when Kupenda staff invited Jumwa to attend their sustainable agriculture trainings about small-scale farming, livestock rearing, and agribusiness ventures. These trainings taught her to use climate-smart farming techniques, such as zai pits, that utilized water-conservation technologies.

They also taught her to identify and plant drought-resilient crops, such as cassava, cowpeas, and green grams, which need little moisture and have a high market value.

Jumwa also learned about chicken rearing, including information about brooding, feeding, vaccination, and other general care. Since chickens require little water and can survive the region’s frequent droughts, Jumwa began incorporating chicken rearing into her future plans.

Today, Jumwa continues to grow in her ability to supplement her family’s income. She also witnesses others in her community who are benefitting from Kupenda’s trainings. From July through December of last year, Kupenda supported 35 individuals in her community to engage in sustainable agriculture.

Would you consider supporting caretakers and youth with disabilities to build more self- reliant futures? Your investment will improve conditions for countless people, restoring hope and dignity to their lives!

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