The Government will construct more learning and recreational facilities for children living with cerebral palsy.
This was said by a Ministry of Health official Margaret Kalekye during celebrations to mark World Cerebral Palsy Day at Camp Toyoyo stadium, Makadara sub-county, Nairobi County on Thursday, October 6th an event organized by Sight of relief Non-governmental organisation mainly dealing with Celebralpalsy natures.
Kalekye said that the Ministry of Health in conjunction with the Ministry of Education has secured funding from Safaricom to put up a special class for cerebral palsy children at St. Paul Primary School in Mbotela estate, Makadara sub-county.
The officer encouraged parents with children living with cerebral palsy to register their children at St. Paul’s Assessment Centre so that they could benefit from the educational benefits offered there. “The Ministry of Health also has plans to put up a recreational ground at Jericho Hospital,” Kalekye said.
During the celebrations, National Fund for the Disabled of Kenya (NFDK) CEO Anthony Muli pointed out that NFDK has previously partnered with Sight of Relief and Cerebral Palsy Society of Kenya to create awareness and support caregivers of people with cerebral palsy.
“Some of the programmes NFDK is carrying out include the provision of mobility aids, rehabilitative equipment, vocal tools of trade, and provision of financial grants towards infrastructural development and income generating activities,” Mr Anthony Muli retariates.
He listed some of the institutions that have benefited from the provision of financial grants and infrastructural development programmes in Nairobi as Mathare Special Training Centre, Wangu Primary School, Mihango Primary School, James Gichuru Primary School, Roysambu Primary School, Kiwanja Special Unit amongst others.
Muli further disclosed that NFDK has provided grants worth sh 2.7 million for the construction of flagship project facilities such as dining halls and dormitories. “Some of the institutions that have benefited from our flagship project in Nairobi are Jacaranda Special School for the Mentally Handicapped, Waithaka Special School for Mentally Challenged, Buruburu Baptist Church School and Muslim Primary School Cerebral Palsy Unit amongst others,” he stated.
On the same note,Muli stated that NFDK would donate diapers for children worth Sh51,600 in a bid to ensure that not only adults but also children with cerebral palsy have access to basic needs.
Benson Matoke Isaboke, Director for Sight of Relief organisation and the planner of the event stated that they’ve bigger plans to partner with several organisations to save the untold stories of the persons with Celebralpalsy.
Isaboke however stated that all who Managed to attend the celebrations at Camp Toyoyo was by courtesy of Embasava Vehicles, Forward Travelers, C-Bet among others who decided to show love during the Celebralpalsy Day. Isaboke pleaded with the government to consider and embrace the Celebralpalsy group in the national government and county Governments in decision making processes for the purpose of inclusivity.
Catherine Syokau Director of comm. for the organization retariates that it’s high time for the government to consider people with disability in appointments in the government because they understand better the challenges they go through. Ms. Syokau contested for MCA post in Machakos County where she was the only woman with disability and the only Woman during the election in that ward.
Syokau however urged the current Governor for Machakos, Hon Gov. Wavinya Ndeti to consider People with disability more especially Woman to spearhead the agenda for prosperity.
