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Parents have been urged not to hide children with various forms of disabilities so they can get help from organisations and philanthropists.
Rotary Club of Kirinyaga members said many parents remain the stumbling blocks towards their children getting a better future as they hide them from the public.
They said the parents’ feeling of embarrassment and shame because of their children’s disabilities do not in any way better the situation, but instead worsens it.
It causes low self-esteem and dependency for the rest of their lives.
Former county chairperson Wilfred Mutemi said disability is not inability and parents should provide opportunities for such children to enable them realise their potential and live life to the fullest.
“Many philanthropists, organisations and government agencies are willing to help such children to realise and harness their potential. It is my appeal to parents not to hide such children but instead expose them to the world where help is awaiting them,” he said.
Mutemi was speaking on Monday during the donation of specialised wheelchairs to five disabled children in Kutus.
“We fully appreciate the effort they [parents] put into raising the children who are abled differently. We know that it is no mean feat because many of these children are restless and as such requires patience and very high specialised care,” he said.
“We know these wheelchairs will go a long way in providing relief to the parents so that they can engage in other income generating activities.”
Mutemi said the club’s social responsibility programmes has previously helped many other disabled children.
He cited renovation of classrooms and the establishment of greenhouses in special schools in the county as part of the programmes that the club has been engaged in to raise the living standards of children with disability.
Mutemi said they have also partnered with other clubs in the region to organise fun days so children with disability can have fun and engage with other children.
Current County Club president Perpetua Karanja said the specialised wheelchairs will assist the children in many ways including when eating and studying, making it easy for their parents or caretakers to do other duties.
She said the wheelchairs which were provided by Bethany Kids can be adjusted as the child grows.
Karanja said despite the devices being provided by their partner, the rotary club fully sponsored the assessment fee of Sh5,000 per child
Nancy Githinji, mother of one of the beneficiaries, urged parents with special children to help them realise their potential and give them hope as they too can be productive members of society. BY THE STAR