stigma

Leonard Mbonani

National Cancer Survivors Day: Positive Updates From Leonard Mbonani

by Rebecca Heidorn

  • Posted on June 9, 2023

June 6th marks National Cancer Survivors Day, a day which creates space for celebrating those who have survived cancer and inspiring those who continue in their fight with the disease. This day leads us to reflect on the cancer journey of Leonard Mbonani, Kupenda’s co-founder and Kenya director. In 2016, Leonard was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s…



Girls outside

A Cause That Everyone Can Connect To: An Interview with Kupenda Supporter, Michael Thompson

by Rebecca Heidorn

  • Posted on May 25, 2023

Many supporters experience a connection to Kupenda for the Children’s work, whether or not they are directly impacted by a disability. Kupenda’s mission to serve children with disabilities in low-income countries who are exponentially disadvantaged based on their age, economic status, and social perceptions of their disability may, for some, seem far removed. Yet the…



Mother and Baby

Becoming Mothers

by Jessica Charles Abrams

  • Posted on May 12, 2023

During my three days of labor, I often thought of Kenyan mothers and how much harder the birth experience is for so many of them. When it was over, I’d been attended to by two doctors, five midwives, and ten nurses. I’d received an epidural for the pain and Pitocin to strengthen my contractions. My…



Counseling Services Empower Families Impacted by Disabilities

Enhancing Autonomy: How Kupenda’s Counseling Services Empower Families Impacted by Disabilities

by Lauren Blair

  • Posted on May 8, 2023

Each year, Kupenda for the Children counsels thousands of people impacted by disabilities and their family members. According to Kupenda’s Project Officer in Kenya, Loice Maluki: “Families impacted by disability wrestle with multiple problems such as, emotional shock, blame, guilt, and lack of awareness about the child’s disability. Counseling helps them become aware of the…



Misconceptions in Sexual and Reproductive Health Care: Stories from Women Living with a Disability

Misconceptions in Sexual and Reproductive Health Care: Stories from Women Living with a Disability

by Lucie Rutherford

  • Posted on May 4, 2023

In Kenya and across the world, women with disabilities face prejudice, stigma, and discrimination in accessing sexual and reproductive health services. Misunderstandings and misconceptions by health care providers as well as inadequate facilities can lead to inequitable or ineffective care. Furaha Mariga Leonard is a 27-year-old who is deaf and has been sponsored by Kupenda…



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