Kupenda for the children

11/02/2026

At a local training center, three learners, including one who is hard of hearing, are working together on a shared activity. All three are taking part, learning alongside one another, and contributing to the task.

That’s what inclusive vocational training should make possible: a place where learners with different needs can build practical skills, participate fully, and prepare for what comes next!

10/29/2026

Good counseling begins with listening, patience, and respect. On October 1, Kupenda brought 16 church leaders, lay leaders, and educators together at our Advocacy Center to build practical counseling skills.

Through storytelling, discussion, and role-playing, participants explored how to listen with empathy and help people find their own solutions. They’re taking these skills back to their communities to offer more thoughtful support to children with disabilities and their families.

10/26/2026

At the Wholesome Ecology Symposium 2026 in Diani, Kenya, Kupenda joined others in calling for people with disabilities to be included in environmental education and climate initiatives.

People with disabilities can face added risks during climate emergencies. Extreme weather may disrupt access to critical health care services, and inaccessible alerts, shelters, and evacuation plans can make it harder to prepare and reach safety. Including their perspectives in climate planning helps ensure that responses serve the whole community.

10/23/2026

Earlier this month, nearly 30 community health promoters (CHPs) gathered at a local school for a disability inclusion and outreach workshop—another step toward a more inclusive Kilifi County, Kenya.

The workshop is part of an ongoing partnership between Kupenda and the Kilifi County Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS), which aims to train more than 700 CHPs across the county.

Through these training, we are strengthening the CHPs’ ability to identify children with disabilities early, provide appropriate support, and connect families with essential services.

10/21/2026

We were delighted to welcome our Kenyan colleagues Leonard Mbonani and Lucky Mahenzo to the United States earlier this month!

During their visit, they connected with supporters, churches, and partner organizations across Massachusetts, California, and Texas, sharing about Kupenda’s work and learning from others committed to disability inclusion.

We’re grateful to everyone who welcomed Leonard and Lucky and made time to connect with them. Their visit was a meaningful opportunity to strengthen relationships and share ideas across our communities!

10/20/2026

Today, Christopher is welcomed and celebrated by his church. But not long ago, a pastor told families to keep their children away from him.

Christopher, a child with quadriplegic cerebral palsy, and his mother experienced such severe stigma and isolation that they eventually moved to another community.

There, they found a church shaped by a different understanding of disability. In 2025, our partner Enable the Children, a program of World Hope International, trained local pastors using Kupenda’s disability stigma reduction model for Christian leaders. Today, Christopher is embraced as a valued member of his congregation.

Read Christopher’s story: https://kupenda.org/finding-a-church-to-belong-in-christophers-story/

Today, when Christopher enters his church, he enters a community that celebrates and includes him. But not long ago, a pastor told families to keep their children away from him. Christopher, a child living with quadriplegic cerebral palsy, once loved attending the church near the home he shared with...

10/08/2026

Girls with disabilities face a greater risk of child marriage, an often-overlooked disability rights issue driven by stigma, poverty, exclusion from education, and barriers to essential services.

Child marriage can end a girl’s education, limit her economic opportunities, and increase her risk of early pregnancy and partner violence. For families in Kupenda’s programs, access to education can change that path.

Keeping a girl with a disability in school does more than provide her education. It helps protect her childhood, her choices, and her future.

Read our latest blog to learn more: https://kupenda.org/protecting-girls-with-disabilities-from-child-marriage/

Kupenda works to address many of the barriers and risks facing children with disabilities. But one issue that may be less familiar is the increased risk of child marriage. Research shows that girls with disabilities are more likely to be married as children than those without disabilities, making th...

10/01/2026

Over five days, Kupenda and our partners fitted and distributed more than 180 mobility devices to people with disabilities across Kilifi County, Kenya.

Families also received medical assessments, assistance registering for social support programs, and disability inclusion education, bringing essential services closer to the communities that need them.

A wheelchair is more than a mobility device. It can open doors to education, therapy, independence, community participation, and dignity.

We are deeply grateful to Hope Haven West, Hope Mobility Kenya, the National Council for Persons with Disabilities, the Government of Kenya, Partners for Care, and all the families, advocates, community leaders and supporters who made this week possible.

Together, we are removing barriers and creating new possibilities for people with disabilities.

09/30/2026

“You became our family after my husband and I were left by family.”

After years of searching for the care Amina needed while facing stigma, rejection, and isolation, her parents finally found people willing to walk beside them.

Read their powerful story of finding care, community, and hope in our latest blog.

When *Amina was born with spina bifida and later developed hydrocephalus and epilepsy, her family faced more than mounting medical needs. They also experienced stigma, rejection, and harmful beliefs about disability. But after years of searching for care and exhausting their resources, a connection....

09/29/2026

Recently, food supplies were delivered to Kakoneni Special Unit, helping more children with disabilities access the nourishment they need to attend school and participate fully.

This food program is about more than providing meals. It has helped increase enrollment and improve retention, giving children more opportunities to learn, play, build friendships, and experience belonging. For families facing difficult circumstances, food support can remove an important barrier to education.

One school staff member shared: “I have no words to express my joy. God bless you for loving these children.”