Mtwapa - Community Initiatives

The Coastal Community Development Initiative for People with Special Needs

This organization was started after discovering that there are many children with cerebral palsy and other disabilities in the Twapa community (12 villages). There are 8 active members including 2 therapists and 2 teachers who do field work. They go to the houses where the Community Workers have identified children with disabilities. Some of the children are referred on to the Hospital (with a letter of referral). They are followed up after surgery. A Home programme is designed with the parents for those who do not need surgery.

Now all this work is done on a voluntary basis, in fact the active members contribute 200 shillings a month towards transport and other costs.

Elizabeth Okella outside the building they use. She coordinates the filedwork team.

They all do other work to keep going. Elizabeth works part time at the Cerebral Palsy Foundation. an has masterminded the preparations and organization of the Conference and the 2 courses being run with CPA trainers.

CONGRATULATONS to the Volunteers making a difference in Kenya.

Marian and Jean went with Mr Muzungu to visit one of the mothers who had been identified by the Community Workers. She has 6 children - the last 2 have cerebral palsy. When Elizabeth and team were visiting a lot of families with the Community workers they missed here house and she rang them saying she was the only one who was missed. So now she was the only one who was visited by the Muzungus

Marian showing the family photos of APT equipment.

We were choosing children with a need for a simple standing frame or chair as examples for teh students coming on the APT course. They will start with learning the techniques and in the 2nd week will make a special chair or standing frame according to the measurements they take from a child. We heard that P was not attending school due to distance and the fact that the local school that does have children with special needs only has boarding facilities for boys. It sounded as if she needed some equipment so her brother will come and help make a standing frame for her (she is in the green dress)

P and her mother

Mum and her baby who also has cerebral palsy

We were given a wonderful treat by P's father and family - coconut milk cut freshly and straight from the nut!

Coconut cheers! Mr Muzungu and Marian

MWTAPE SAHAJANAND SCHOOL

This school was built by a private benefactor and given to the government. It has wonderful classrooms and a dormitory for the children with disabilities and other children who cannot get home easily during the week. There are also some street children - now ex-street children receiving an education. They have a section for special need children. The APT course will be held in one of their classrooms.

Mr Muzungu is the Head of the Special Unit - he is with one of the children who will have something made for him during the APT training.