Mwambuli Disability Rehabiltation Center

by Tsimbwela Samuel
(Kakamega)

Access to medical services has remained a key challenge not only to the disabled in Kenya but also to the majority of Kenyans who live below the poverty line. According to the statistics, currently over 62% of people living in western Kenya live below poverty line compared to the national average of 56%.Since majority of the disabled people in this region are from the very poor families, it means that almost all the disabled people in western Kenya live below the poverty line.

Poverty makes many children born with disabilities not to get early corrective and rehabilitation services that would have changed their lives at an early age. They end up growing with the disabilities despite remedies being available but out of reach due to poverty.

The second challenge is the availability of the service providers. There are very few providers of the rehabilitation and corrective surgeries around Western Kenya. The few players available are overwhelmed by the numbers and hence majority of children may not be able to access the services. Additionally the available government facilities do not have the commitment that is required in delivery of not only health service but also other services to the entire community.

These make it necessary to have dedicated service providers outside the government facilities. This has led to many private hospitals across the country and even in the education sector many private schools. When you compare government performance with private or other NGO set ups, the difference is so amazing.

Disability being a major area that does not earn profits for private investors, disabled children are left to be attended by government facilities that are not committed to the wellbeing of the disabled while investors choose to invest in profitable ventures. The end result leads to children growing with disabilities that would have been corrected early to give them more freedom and opportunity to lead better lives. This is the reason we wish set up the center.

Therapy and rehabilitation services are very essential in changing the life of a child, since if done well at the early stages; the child may be able to live normal life without the burden of the disability as shown by Mohammed on the picture. The area under consideration has an estimated 2,450 people with disabilities of which majority are children who need therapy services and other rehabilitation and corrective surgery. There has been the St Julie program that has been running a center for disabled children. The centre was offering a variety of service to children with different disabilities. The center has been attending to an average of 300 children per year since the year 2006 to this year in May when the center closed down. The services of the center were rapidly expanding beyond the initial district and it would be a good facility eventually for the whole of Western Kenya.

The future of the over 300 children attended to every year and many others who were yet to be reached is in jeopardy if nothing will be done to ensure that they continue receiving rehabilitation services.

This center is therefore on high demand due to the large number of children it was attending to. It serves people who are from poor families and from very far areas within the North Kakamega District rural area.

Among the service the center was offering include the rehabilitation of children with different disabilities, referral of children to other facilities and hospitals, sponsorship of children for surgery and to special school, follow up on children at the center and at home, assist the parents to develop income generating activities, offer counseling to children and, offer assistive devices like wheelchairs ,awareness campaign and transport children parents to referral places among many other functions.

We need financial support to enable us hire one local Therapist and two other staff(Euros 700 per months).We also need support for purchase of supplies and drugs(Euros 333 per month) and in addition we need financial support for medication and corrective surgery for children we shall refer to other hospitals and school fees support for those we shall be sending to special schools(Euros 1,852 per months).Our main priorities at the moment is to secure the services of the therapist and supplies, then eventually the cost for refferals.We also welcome volunteer who can offer these services to join us in the service delivery.

For more details please contact us at mwa_disabledgroup{ATTHEDOMAIN}yahoo.com for detailed information.

www.mwambuli-disabled.org

Please help us to empower children born with disabilities through rehabilitation; medication and support for them acquire education and skills.