
Relief for the best kind of different
“Attitudes of the society often disable persons with disabilities rather than enabling them”
Mary Munyao, Founder, Connect Families Ability

A long stare. Pity. Lack of faith. Harsh judgment. These are just some of the reactions that persons with disabilities receive from the society. Ridicule, discrimination and stigmatization are normal occurrences in the lives of persons with disabilities. Children with disabilities are one of the most vulnerable groups within a society. A report by the Safeguarding Children Board revealed that children with disabilities tend to acquire poor accessibility to health services, receive inadequate attention from the society and in some cases even reluctant care from their families and caretakers. Children with disabilities require more attention as they depend on their parents and caretakers for practical assistance in daily living. Taking care of these precious youngsters also requires additional financial support to provide the necessary facilities they require, a privilege that families from low economic backgrounds cannot afford. As a result, this additional expense has forced some parents to leave their children unattended at home as they search for work.
Connect Families Ability
Having seen these challenges around her, Mary Munyao, a child development specialist, decided to establish Connect Families Ability (CFA). CFA mainly focuses on helping children with disabilities, such as those with Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Down Syndrome and physical challenges to attain the best state of being. Many of these children come from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. CFA connects with children with disabilities and their families through activities and programs that deal with matters such as social acceptance and inclusion, empowerment and home based support. As many of the parents who attend the CFA meetings are mostly mothers, Mary found it fit to equip them for economic growth and empowerment through skills training in baking, tailoring, and hair and beauty. The organization is also a platform of advocacy training, where families with children with disabilities learn about their rights and those of their children, and are equipped with knowledge on dealing with their children’s disability’s and the society around them.
Connect Families Ability is anchored on the wise words of Proverbs 31:9: “Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy and see that they get justice” and Luke 21b “Go quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and invite the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame.” With these scriptures in mind, the organization strives to ensure that that all children with disabilities are registered with the National Council for Persons with Disabilities (NCPWD) as a requirement for greater access to social services. They also ensure that the children within their program have persons with disabilities identification cards.

The floundering reality
Amidst the smiles and laughter portrayed through the impact of CFA on these families, CFA has succumbed to a lot of challenges such as lack of adequate funds, which are mainly sourced from friends and well-wishers. The 17 registered direct beneficiaries’ (mothers) and their children with disabilities that CFA currently supports depend largely on the organization for relief from many of their challenges. The children with disabilities require assistive devices such as wheel chairs, physiotherapy equipment and access to learning materials. Facilities that Mary and her team cannot adequately provide due to lack of funds. Furthermore CFA has no premises of its own and currently meets with the families once a month at Harambee Primary School, Nairobi.

Future Prospects
This year, CFA has adopted one primary school where they will be giving back to the community through providing services such as cleaning the school environment and planting trees. The mothers want to give back to the community in spite of their own challenges.
Mary yearns to see her organization meeting in their own premises providing everyday services that are inclusive of a training and learning centre as well as a therapy centre for the children.
About CFA

Mary Munyao is a child specialist with years of experience. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Bible and Theology from Pan African University (PACU) and a Master’s degree in Child Development from Daystar University. She registered Connect families Ability in June 2016 as a Community Based Organization.
Support
Connect Families Ability is currently in need of the following support:
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Volunteers to work with the mothers and children
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Children’s toys, books, DVD’s and therapy materials
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A permanent premises for meeting
Office (need of office furniture)
For additional information on CFA or to support CFA please contact Mary Munyao on: +254 723 948 466 or marymunyao08@gmail.com