Less than 10 per cent of children living with disability in Africa attend school, while 80 per cent of the disabled are unemployed.
According to the World Report on Disability,
a family with a child living with disability in Africa is likely to have 60 per cent less purchasing power.
Approximately one billion people in the world are living with a disability, with at least 1 in every 10 being children and 80 per cent living in developing countries.
Speaking during a mobile clinic held at Jaramogi Oginga Odinga hospital in Kisumu, Safaricom Foundation Chairman Joseph Ogutu said that including children with disabilities can help reduce cases of discrimination and stigma as well as increase the likelihood of economic independence – both for the children and for their families.
“Research shows a strong link between poverty and disability. As is the case in many of the developing countries, the problem of poverty and disabilities in Kenya is connected,” he said.
Among marginalized groups, children with disabilities remain discriminated not only because of their disability but also because of the lack of understanding and knowledge about its causes, implications and stigma.
“In recent years, Kenya has made laudable gains in expanding access to education. Additional resources have been made available to ensure educational opportunities for all its citizens,” said Ogutu.
During the mobile clinic, over 300 children with different forms of disabilities will benefit from a partnership program between Safaricom Foundation, Christian Blind Mission and AIC Cure Hospital that targets children with disability.
After undergoing surgery, children who were previously not in school will be placed in various schools across the country.
The program also involves training of health workers; follow up of post -operative cases, public education on disability and patient evaluation.
This is part of a Sh14.4million Safaricom Foundation funded project dubbed Securing education for Children with disabilities in Kenya.
The project aims to increase educational opportunities for children with disabilities through surgical interventions to rectify their conditions and school placement.
The United Nations Universal declaration of the rights of the child states that every child needs special safeguard and care before as well as after birth so that he or she may have a happy childhood. It continues to state that no child should be discriminated because of their condition.
“Helping one child overcome a disability can result in greater economic opportunities for an entire family,” added Ogutu.