A Machakos based Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) has called for the social inclusion of children living with different types of disabilities in the society.
Doors of Hope director Jacqueline Shibalira says the majority of children living with disabilities, especially cerebral palsy and autism have been neglected in Machakos County.
Shibalira said the levels of discrimination against these children are such high that most of them can never find schools to be enrolled to.
“We need these children to be included in the normal daily life of a child just like the normal children in the community, they should not be discriminated against,” Shibalira said.
She addressed the press at her office in Athi River on Monday.
Shibalira said all children living with disabilities need rehabilitation, therapies, among other assistance to ensure their social inclusion to the society.
She said they need to go to school normally.
“At Doors of Hope, we offer such children therapies, education, nutrition, treatment, among others. Most of them are walking and writing already. Once they are able to catch up with mainstream education, they will be able to live normal lives,” Shibalira said.
Shibalira said the government should give lots of assistance and support to centres and institutions running programs of children living with disabilities.
She said most parents of such children are poor hence can’t support or provide for their children’s needs.
Shibalira said parents of such children need psycho-social counselling to seize discriminating them by taking their ‘normal’ children to school while hiding the disabled ones in houses.
She said the centres should be well funded.
Shibalira said the government should fund therapies and rehabilitation of disabled children as opposed to assistive devices.
“The most important things to be given to these children are therapies and rehabilitation which can be the best treatment to them,” Shibalira said.
She said Mavoko Sub-county has 140 children living with cerebral palsy.
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