Photos showing the progress of our Fursa initiative in Kibwezi, Kenya
Photos from our exploratory visit to Kibwezi and Embu in 2013
ResponsABLE Assistance volunteers Vaughn and Katie were hosted in the central Kenyan town of Kibwezi by the KDPO, the local disabled peoples organisation, and in Embu, by Dr Cecilia Nyaga, a leading figure in the promotion of disability rights and inclusive education. One of the most valuable tasks performed by the KDPO is the incredible work they do from very limited supplies, in making and refining disability related equipment and independent living aids for local disabled people to use.

It seems prevalent in African society for the father to leave his family if a child is born with a disability. Thankfully, the children are often fortunate to have amazing mothers.

We met people in their tiny hamlets and villages and were frequently left in awe by how tidy clean all the small communities we visited were, and especially, how the Mothers built the houses for their families.

Everyone we met welcomed us warmly and we spent the time sitting and talking so we could learn as much about their lives as disabled people and discover ways in which we may be able to support them.

The warm welcome was particularly special in the schools we visited to learn what sort of experiences their disabled students have.

Many disabled children sadly do not go to school but where they do and from what we were able to see, they often benefit from inclusive education. One class was particularly aware, benefitting as they do from a teacher who also has a disability.

One special school we visited in Embu was especially impressive as it taught its students a range of practical skills from husbandry to cookery, mosaics to hairdressing.

People are incredibly resourceful and despite often grinding poverty can make small businesses out of very little. We met shoe makers, Margaret and Justin and sweet shop owner, Rebecca, all of whom had physical disabilities.
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