Testimonials
- We were humbled to be part of the first Cohort of Digital Literacy and Essential Life Skills Program for Teenagers organised by Boarder Hub. Ian Wafula who was among the 12 teenagers from Kenya and Uganda represented our team during the 6 weeks of learning the 21st Century Digital Skills, Essential Life Skills, Online safety, Creativity, Mental Health and Personal Development. The Program is aimed at bridging the digital divide, especially for rural youth and igniting their minds to explore careers in STEM.
- Ernest Otieno 54, from Siebuka Village in Matayos Sub County, who is blind explains that his 74year-old mum and 11 year-old daughter were also born blind. He attended different schools for the blind until collage level but his efforts ended up not helping him in life.He didn’t manage to graduate because he was unable to sit for a practical paper due to his condition, his effort to follow up with Mosoriot Teachers Collage were futile.
- At some point I thought of committing suicide because I felt life had lost meaning to me,” those were the words of Mr David Nixon, 73 years old, whose leg was amputated after unknown disease attacked him. Mr Nixon, a former village elder narrates to the Arc team his journey which left him with one leg hence forcing him to use catches to move around. He explains that unknown disease attacked him when he 70years old, he visited a number of hospitals but he couldn’t get help until when he visited a private hospital in Busia where the doctors told him the only option was to amputate the leg. “When I was told the sad news I was very frustrated but I decided to accept the move as a way of saving my life. After the process my life changed completely, I have been depending on people for survival something I was not used to before,” Nixon said. He used to walk long distances and even ride his bicycle but currently he cannot, he was the breadwinner of the family but after being disabled roles changed where his wife and other family members are now taking care of him. The father of three tells us that he cannot perform his duties as a village elder because moving from home to home is difficult for him. He laments that the condition has made him lose some of his friends while others still laugh and even mock him. This has affected him to an extent he wanted to commit suicide.
- Follow Up: Mr Nickson Ayienga, narrates how he suffered loneliness and was suicidal for some time after having his leg amputated. Fortunately his friends and family intervened and talked him out if the thoughts. The 73 year-old finally accepted his new status, that he will spend the rest of his life living with a disability. He has also since learnt how to manage his thoughts. He shares his story once more.
- One of the programs that Arc CBO undertakes is empowering people living with disabilities and their caregivers with entrepreneurial and employability skills to enable them earn a sustainable income and therefore lead independent lives. The team, lead by the chairlady, represented the CBO at Chulaimbo in Kisumu County where Waterstep launched equipments on Water purification. The team from Waterstep also empowered the participants on Enterprenualship on bleach making, Water transportation procedures and storage. The caregivers were also taken through a medical scheme that they are working on a joining procedure with Waterstep. The CBO is partnering with the organisation to ensure caregivers and persons living with disabilities are trained on bleach making for business to help them earn a living on their own and also ensure they have a medical scheme.
- Life is very unpredictable sometimes, for Mama Consolata, a widow, life is not what she thought it will be when she got married to her late husband many years ago. Consolata, a resident of Sigulu village in Samia explains that she gave birth to 10 kids, 8 died and only 2 survived. It did not stop at that, one of the two surviving kids is abled differently. Her daughter, Gladys is paralysed on one side of her body, she has been living with this condition since she was born. Her medical report indicates that one side of her brain cells that coordinate speech and movement is paralysed. She can’t speak nor walk, despite having the ability to hear. Consolata bitterly narrates that her abled differently daughter was raped a year ago by an unknown person, when everyone was attending a funeral in the neighborhood. She (The mother) come to know of the unfortunate incident much later after seeing some unusual marks on her back. She was taken to the hospital where the doctors realised she was pregnant. The perpetrator hasn’t been found to date. Gladys has never been to school due to financial constraints. Her mother who is the family’s bread winner, survives on odd jobs for a living. She is calling on well-wishers to help her sustain her children and the grandchild. She also pleaded with relevant government bodies to help her daughter get a wheelchair and other necessary items to ease her mobility.
- Disability is not a bad omen, Neither is it a curse. Anyone can acquire a disability at any time, any day any age. We need to demystify this myth in Busia County and Kenya as a whole.
- We meet a 20-year-old mentally challenged Velma Amboko from Lugala village, Nambuku location in Samia who was rejected by her parents when she was 6 months old. On Interacting with her grandmother Judith Amboko Ayienga, she states that she started taking care of Velma when she was less than a year old, adding that she is struggling with Velma’s upbringing because she is not in a position to do anything on her own. In addition to her mentally challanged problem she is also physically abled differently. Coming from a low income background, her grandma tells us that she is not in a position to seek medical attention for her granddaughter. Medical institutions they have visited ruled out the problem of Velma to be Menengitis, because her bones are weak, when she walks she falls and she can’t do anything without help. Mrs Ayienga asks for help from well wishers for explaining that she has no job and Velma has a debt at school (Nangina Special School) that needs to be settled before she goes back to school
- World Day for International Justice is observed across the globe on July 17 yearly as part of an effort to recognize the emerging system of international criminal justice and also mark an emerging modern system of justice against international criminal acts. The Arc team was privileged to be part of this year’s (2021) celebration at Busia Women Prison for the sake of all the Persons Living With Disability who are behind bars. The CBO’s Chairlady Mary Okedi represented the team where she urged the community at large to embrace those abled differently in the society and support them.
- At Ebwani Village, Samia Sub county in Busia County, we meet Phaustine Ouma, 13 years old living with disability. According to observation he might be suffering from Kyphosis which has affected some of his body parts including legs. He cant walk. His mother Sylvia Nabwire says she has visited several hospitals but she has never been able to understand what exactly his son is suffering from, adding that the condition forced him to drop out of school. The mother of 9 narrates that his peers discriminated him on claims that he was smelling hence forcing him to drop out of school. Years later he has never gotten a chance to go back to school due to lack of school fees. His parents who survive on odd jobs can’t even afford to take care of his daily needs and those of his other siblings. Mrs Nabwire sadly narrates the his son was benefiting from government funds. Their nightmares began 3 years later when someone she doesn’t know called the officers incharge and reported that Phaustine had died yet he is still alive to date. Despite following up for years he has never gotten any support again. He is calling upon well-wishers to help him go back to school and also facilitating his daily diapers and other needs.
- Phanice is a 13-year-old girl from Asopotoit village in Teso South Constituency, Busia County, who has intellectual disability and is nonverbal. We spoke to her father Amos Wanjala. Her mother ran away when she noticed that her daughter was born with a disability.
- Eliana’s father abandoned us after he realized our new born daughter (Eliana) had Cerebral palsy, he has never looked back or even inquired about our whereabouts,” those were painful words of Eunice Waithera Kehia. Seven year old Eliana Murugi who stays with her mother at Matayos in Busia County to is suffering from Cerebral palsy that resulted from prolonged labour. The single mum of one at some point suffered depression which made her quit work to tend to the ailing daughter. The move worsened her financial situation. Her relatives forced her to sue the hospital on claims that they had exchanged her baby during delivery but later she accepted the kid and moved on. She has ever since learned to take care of the baby as a single mum adding that she had forgiven Eliana’s father for what he did to them and wishes him the best in his life. She has not taken Eliana to school yet on doubt that she won’t be accorded proper care like she does at home. Eunice adds that she has a supportive house manager Edna, who has mastered how to communicate, feed and even handle Eliana. She urged the society to treat people living with disabilities with equality because they never choose to be what they are. She is requesting well-wishers to support her take care of her ailing daughter.
- 20-year-old Velma living with mental disability and physical disability was abandoned by her parents at 6 months old.
- Nobody chooses to be born differently, many at times, if not born differently one might find himself or herself living with disability due to accidents or even diseases that were never diagnosed and one is forced to accept the condition and live with it. Linda Zawadi, a 22 year old resident of Mungweko village in Samia, Busia county, a single mother of two (5 years and 8 months), lost movement and sensation in both legs, hands and back. She narrates how she gradually began losing it back then while in standard seven. It was gradual until she couldn’t walk or even support herself. She painfully narrates that despite her condition, her two kids (whose fathers are different) have never gotten any support from their fathers instead they chose to abandon them. She even explains how her schoolmates have already finished schooling and some are even working. “I rely on well-wishers who support me with the little they can because I can’t even wash my clothes lest my hands will be so painful and even bleed. Whatever little I get, I’m forced to hire someone to wash our clothes” she sadly said. As much as, she believes that it was a case of witchcraft with the help of medical doctors we found out that she could be suffering from paraplegia or quadriplegia. Paraplegia and quadriplegia are forms of paralysis, which is the partial or complete loss of movement in one or more parts of the body. There are numerous causes of paralysis, including neuromuscular diseases, spinal cord injuries and stroke. She survives, merely on well-wishers because she doesn’t have any form of income to sustain her and the kids.
- Meet Basil and Henry Ouma 8 and 7 years old respectively from Lwanyange village in Nambale Sub County, Busia County. The two are living with cerebral palsy. They are second and third born respectively in a family of four siblings. The Arc team got in touch with the family a year ago after establishing that the kids and their parents who are all unemployed, relay mostly on well-wishers and neighbours for food and upkeep. Their Mother Violet Ajiambo who is not mentally stable and their jobless dad were not in a position to seek medical attention for the kids at an early stage.
- There is nothing more fulfilling and rewarding to any parent than giving birth to healthy children, nurturing and seeing them grow to responsible adults in society. However, for Mrs Hellen Anyango this has remained a dream, for the past 35years of having Ms Miriam Adongo who is living with a mental disorder. During our community outreach in Busia County we caught up with Adongo and her guardian at a visibly lonely homestead with a mud hut and thatched conical roof. Ms Adongo was born as a normal kid but after a some times she started developing some mental disorders, but due to lack of adequate resources the family was not able to take her for special treatment. She therefore ended up being mentally disabled. Ms Adongo, who was not able to attend school or get any formal education due to her condition, does not respond when being called, but those around her know how to best communicate with her. She sheepishly smiles and moves towards us after her guardian, beckoned her to come over. Her twin brother is since married with kids, but for her this condition has made her remain dependable on her relatives, throughout her life. She can not make any meaningful decision on her own, but she depends on those around her. “They were born twins 35 years ago, after a short while, she started showing some unusual behaviour. She could constantly laugh, talk and mumble to herself openly. This worried everyone, ” these were the words of Mrs Anyango, who spoke to our team at her home. Mrs Anyango explained, that Adongo lives well with her family members because they understand her condition, but she lamented that she has always been a laughing stock to outsiders who always mock her. “She is not violent. Most people around understand her condition and they have learnt to live with her comfortably, However, the mockery from outsiders has affected her family members more than her, because when people laugh at her she does not understand, she instead laughs back at them,” narrated Mrs Anyango. She added that many people say their family is tormented by curses. “We just left it to God because there is nothing we can do, we cannot change the situation, it is only God who can do that,” stated Anyango. She also pleaded with those living with people who are abled differently to ensure they take good care of them.
- Ms Sharon Rose Lungaho, a mother of three was blessed with twins but unfortunately one of them was not fine during birth. Ms Lungaho a resident of Matayos Subcounty in Busia County says her abled differently son is a blessing to her despite not being able to do anything by himself. Ten years ago, she was blessed with twins, Quincy who is abled differently and his sister Hency who is ok. Hency says she is proud of her brother and takes care of him when the mother is away. “I am proud of him, I feel good and happy when I am near him. I dont regret having him as a brother despite his condition,” Hency happily told the Arc team The mother is calling on well-wishers to help her take care of his abled differently son adding that his delicate condition needs alot of resources.
