Health

A young girl stands against a textured, weathered wall, wearing a bright blue dress with red circular patterns and light-colored sandals. She faces the camera with a calm, neutral expression, her hands resting at her sides.

A Place to Belong: Mercy’s Journey from Fear to Faith

by Lauren Blair

  • Posted on April 8, 2026

In many low-income countries like Kenya, children who are deaf often begin life in isolation—without access to sign language, schooling, or even basic understanding from those around them. Mercy’s life once reflected these challenges. Today, her story is one of change, marked not only by education and opportunity, but by the confidence to step into…



A smiling woman wearing a patterned headscarf and colorful dress carries a young child on her back wrapped in bright red fabric, standing outdoors in a rural setting

When Communities Lead, Children Thrive: Zainabu’s Story

by Kupenda

  • Posted on February 23, 2026

Kupenda activates local leaders and parents to come together to improve the lives of children with disabilities in their communities. These efforts have allowed children like Zainabu and her peers to access medical care and education, experience love and inclusion, and reduce their vulnerability to violence and abuse. Living With Disability in Lango Baya Six-year-old…



A person with very short, light blond curly hair stands facing away from the camera in a rural village with red dirt ground and small brick houses. They are wearing a green and blue patterned dress. Palm trees and leafy green trees rise behind the homes, and several children are visible in the background walking and playing between the houses under a clear blue sky.

She Survived Infanticide: A Woman with Albinism Tells Her Story

by Jessica Charles Abrams

  • Posted on February 15, 2026

Editor’s note:Ā We are sharing this story to illustrate the real, life-and-death consequences of disability stigma and why community-based education and advocacy are essential to protecting the dignity and lives of children. Content note:Ā This story includes discussion of violence related to childbirth and disability-based harm. Harmful beliefs about disability are not abstract ideas or distant traditions.…



Education Without Exclusion: Keeping Children with Disabilities in Their Communities

by Lauren Blair

  • Posted on January 26, 2026

In Kenya and many other low-income countries, children with disabilities face significant barriers to accessing education. Deep-rooted stigma often leads communities to believe that disability is a curse and that children with disabilities are incapable of learning or attending school alongside their peers without disabilities. As a result, only an estimated 2% of children with…



Healing the Helpers: Addressing Secondhand Trauma Among Local Staff

by Rebecca Heidorn

  • Posted on December 17, 2025

Caring for others changes lives, but it also takes a toll. Kupenda’s frontline staff in Kenya regularly walk alongside families facing stigma, trauma, and profound hardship related to societal perceptions of disability. Their counseling restores hope, strengthens families, and opens pathways to inclusion—but absorbing these stories day after day places a significant emotional weight on…



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