Hi everyone! I am an exchange student at Rice University studying Sociology and Anthropology. The field that I wish to contribute to on Wikipedia encompasses wealth and income inequality, disabilities, and specifically, capabilities of children with disabilities in Kenya.

In my spare time, I love to read and write french poetry. I am also a member of Child Destiny Foundation, a nonprofit organization providing therapy and childcare to children with special needs in the slums of Kibera, in Nairobi, Kenya.

The general theme that I want to delve into for this project is Disability in Kenya. There is no section on disabilities under the Wikipedia article on Kenya. In the subsections on health, education, or youth of the section on Kenyan demographics, there is no mention of Kenyans and young people with disabilities.  Therefore, I am considering creating a new entry/section on disability in Kenya, under the article on Kenya.  The underlying theme attached to this is the intersections between disability and poverty in Kenya.

As Kenya is a country of the youth[1], I want to shed light on children and young people living with mental and/or physical disabilities (e.g. cerebral palsy) in Kenya. I especially want to look at children with disabilities’ lack of access to education, especially in rural parts of Kenya. I have found many scholarly articles on children with disability in rural parts of Kenya, notably the north- and south-east.

Here are the sources which I found most relevant and clear in touching upon the links between disability and right to education, health, malnutrition, and lack of transportation in rural settings.

Cohen, Talia. "“The Invisible Disability:” Perceptions and Potential of Children with Autism in Kisumu, Kenya." (2012).

Grut, Lisbet, Joyce Olenja, and Benedicte Ingstad. "Disability and barriers in Kenya." Disability and poverty: A global challenge (2011): 153-170.Kuper, Hannah, et al. "Malnutrition and childhood disability in Turkana, Kenya: Results from a case-control study." PloS one 10.12 (2015): e0144926.

Moyi, Peter. "School participation for children with disabilities in Kenya." Research in Comparative and International Education 12.4 (2017): 497-511.

Mukuria, Gathogo, and Julie Korir. "Education for children with emotional and behavioral disorders in Kenya: Problems and prospects." Preventing School Failure: Alternative Education for Children and Youth 50.2 (2006): 49-54.

Murungi, Lucyline Nkatha. "The significance of article 24 (2) of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities for the right to primary education of children with disabilities: a comparative study of Kenya and South Africa." (2013).

Mutua, Kagendo, and Dimiter M. Dimitrov. "Prediction of School Enrolment of Children with Intellectual Disabilities in Kenya: the role of parents' expectations, beliefs, and education." International Journal of Disability, Development and Education 48.2 (2001): 179-191.

Mwoma, Teresa. "Education for children with special needs in Kenya: A review of related literature." Education 8.28 (2017).

Riccio, Ariana. "Autism in Kenya: A social, educational and political perspective." (2011).

Talle, Aud. "A child is a child: Disability and equality among the Kenya Maasai." Disability and culture (1995): 56-72.

A second topic which I find particularly interesting to look at is the relation between disability and religion in Kenya. The prevailance of religion in Kenyan families and notably families living in poverty induces religious superstitions, beliefs, and taboos on disabilities. These beliefs are transmitted from the children’s parents and shape their vision on how they see their child's life fit. Consequently, it affects these children's living conditions, notably limiting their access to education.

I want to shed light on how religion also limits directly and indirectly the creation of governmental policies and initiatives aiming at bettering the living conditions of Kenyans with disabilities. This topic would be more appropriately added to the section on Kenyan government and politics.

Bunning, Karen, et al. "The perception of disability by community groups: Stories of local understanding, beliefs and challenges in a rural part of Kenya." PloS one 12.8 (2017): e0182214.

Gona, Joseph K., Sally Hartley, and C. RJ Newton. "Using participatory rural appraisal (PRA) in the identification of children with disabilities in rural Kilifi, Kenya." Rural and Remote Health 6.3 (2006): 1-10.

Kabare, Krystle. "Social protection and disability in Kenya." Nairobi: Development Pathways (2018).

Lukalo, Beatrice, and Loreen Maseno. "Grounded Theology and Disability in Western Kenya." Diaconia 12.1 (2021): 21-40.

Murungi, Lucyline Nkatha. "The significance of article 24 (2) of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities for the right to primary education of children with disabilities: a comparative study of Kenya and South Africa." (2013).

Mutua, Kagendo, and Dimiter M. Dimitrov. "Prediction of School Enrolment of Children with Intellectual Disabilities in Kenya: the role of parents' expectations, beliefs, and education." International Journal of Disability, Development and Education 48.2 (2001): 179-191.

Odongo, George. "Barriers to parental/family participation in the education of a child with disabilities in Kenya." International journal of special education 33.1 (2018): 21-33.

Otieno, Pauline A. "Biblical and theological perspectives on disability: Implications on the rights of persons with disability in Kenya." Disability Studies Quarterly 29.4 (2009).

Riccio, Ariana. "Autism in Kenya: A social, educational and political perspective." (2011).

[1] "Out of 47.6 million Kenyans, 35.7 million are under the age of 35". Citizen Digital. 21 February 2020. Retrieved 25 February 2022.

This user is a participant in WikiProject Kenya.

This user is a participant in WikiProject Disability.