Rotary's sunshine rally uplifts children with disabilities

Participants at the Rotary's Sunshine rally at the ASK Jamuhuri showground.

For children living with disabilities in many parts of the world, the simple joy of a day spent under the warm embrace of the sun is a rare and often missed luxury.

Hidden away due to societal stigma or lack of accessible spaces, these children and young people often miss out on the carefree play moments that define childhood. 

However, for four decades now, an anticipated annual event has become a beacon of hope shining brightly and allowing the children to have fun and engage with their friends through the Sunshine Rally. 

The Sunshine Rally is more than just a single day of joy—it sparks a year-round commitment from Rotary clubs to support children with disabilities in meaningful, tangible ways 

This year, the Sunshine Rally was held at the ASK Jamuhuri showground, bringing together about 8,500 children to enjoy the sun, dance, music, art, and play.

The 43rd Sunshine Rally coordinator, Peter Kanake, noted that the legacy project, which has now become a popular, cherished project since it began in 1979 through the vision of philanthropist and Rotarian Manu Chandaria, who started the event as a heartfelt tribute to his brother living with a disability.

Two years later, in 1981, Rotary adopted it as an official project during the UN year dedicated to the physically challenged.

 "We have children living with disabilities, and in this part of the world, many of them are hidden away. The one luxury they often lack is sunlight. The idea behind the Sunshine Rally is to give these kids a day in the sun—a moment to have fun, to be seen and celebrated,” said Kanake.

Rotarians from various clubs across Kenya, as part of District 9212, united to organize this special day where children with disabilities can come out, play, and experience immense joy.

 According to Kanake, the logistics of the rally are carefully coordinated through the Rotary clubs and partners. Over its 40-year history, organizers have built a valuable database identifying the locations of children with disabilities in schools and communities.

Close collaboration with local authorities ensures all necessary permissions are secured. They also help provide transportation to and from schools and meals for the children throughout the day.

 “For many of these children, the Sunshine Rally is more than just a day out—it's a sight and a meaningful experience. "This is the farthest they've ever been from home for most of them. That's what it is, such a joyful and memorable day," he said.

 "While the Sunshine Rally is a major annual event, Rotary's efforts for these children go far beyond a single day. Kanake explains that members build lasting connections through Rotary by supporting access to clean water and sanitation, providing library books, and improving classroom conditions.

 These efforts are made possible through contributions from members across various clubs, offering them meaningful opportunities to serve their communities. 

These projects span various needs, aligning with Rotary's seven areas, including maternal and child health care, education and literacy, and water and sanitation. The Sunshine Rally has also expanded regionally, with Rotary clubs in other parts of Kenya organizing their own editions to serve children within their communities—helping to reduce the burden of cross-county travel.

 "Kenya's percentage of disabilities among children is at 11.4%, which is an estimated 3.4 million children living with disabilities. The sheer number of children with disabilities underscores the scale of the challenge, and so although spending one day with them is like a drop in the ocean, we are sure the children enjoy it; it is like Christmas comes early for them," he says.

To make the rally more engaging and inclusive of all the various disabilities among the children, Rotary International  District 9212 involved other partners who brought the world of play onboard to provide more play and engagement to children who would otherwise not appreciate the music and dancing.

"Our traditional way" of entertainment was music, dance, and singing, which only revolved around volume. We thought that those with hearing impairment would feed off the vibration, but we were made aware that the entertainment was not inclusive based on the various sensory requirements of the children." 

According to Mercy Wanza, a program officer at Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI), several experts from different institutions were involved in this year's rally to promote year-round interventions for children with various disabilities. 

These included experts from the Kenya Society for the Blind, Kenya Society for the Deaf, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Health, Kenyatta National Hospital, Kenyatta Teaching and Referral Hospital, Association of Play Therapists Kenya, and Speech and Language Therapists from Mombasa and Eldoret, among others.

 "In Building a World" of Play (BAWOP), we have a model called Play Camp, where families with children with disabilities—including caregivers and siblings—come together to enjoy adapted play activities tailored to various needs. We brought this concept to the rally to introduce more diversity and inclusion in the day's experience." Wanza said.

 Some of the activities that the children participated in included free play, pretend play, arts and crafts, puppets, painting, sensory play involving wheat flour mixed with water and food color for play, and creative play building blocks, including a play therapist who helped children with their play.

Wanza expressed hope that the rally would be more inclusive in the future, tailored to the various needs of the children to ensure they are stimulated and supported to engage 

While there are no immediate plans to expand the event due to its complex logistics, the lasting impact of the rally and the ongoing projects it inspires continue to provide vital support and recognition to these deserving children.