Kupenda for the Children

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Kupenda for the Children is an American non-profit organization that works to improve the lives of children with disabilities in low and middle income countries.

Mission[]

"Kupenda ("love" in Kiswahili) for the Children is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that transforms harmful beliefs surrounding disability to those that improve children's lives."

Vision[]

Kupenda's vision is for a fully integrated society where people of all abilities have access to health, education, and a loving community.

Background[]

In many areas of the world, people impacted by disability are viewed as cursed, leading to their neglect, abandonment, abuse, rape, and murder. According to the World Health Organization, "A billion people in the world, 15% of the population, have a disability severe enough that it limits their participation in family, community and political life." Among these, children with disabilities are one of the most marginalized and excluded groups in society.

Affiliate organization[]

Kupenda for the Children is registered in the U.S., and its affiliate organization, Kuhenza for the Children, is registered in Kenya. Both organizations report to their respective national governments, manage their own operational funds, and are overseen by their own Boards of Directors. Each year, Kuhenza and Kupenda collaboratively fundraise to support their joint projects. The organizations have been co-designing and co-implementing disability programs since 2003.

Geography[]

Kupenda's innovation center is in the Kilifi County of Kenya but the organization's model and materials are also being used in Malawi, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Zambia and Haiti and are relevant for use in all developing nations.

Beneficiaries[]

Kupenda works with children and youth who have long-term disabilities including physical, cognitive, sensory, and emotional health issues such as Albinism, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Bipolar Disorder, Blindness and Visually Impairment, Brittle Bone Disease (Osteogenesis Imperfecta), Cerebral Palsy (CP), Cleft Palate or Lip, Club Foot (Talipes), Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID), Down Syndrome, Dwarfism, Dyslexia, Epilepsy, Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Disorders (FASD), Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Hearing Impairment, Hydrocephalus, Limb Deformity, Loss, or Reduction, Major Depression, Microcephaly, Muscular Dystrophy, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD), Schizophrenia, Spina Bifida (SB), Spinal Cord Injury, Spine Curvature Disorders, Tourette Syndrome and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI).

History[]

Leonard Mbonani, a Kenyan special needs teacher, met Cynthia Bauer, an American graduate student, while she was conducting wildlife research on the Kenyan coast in 1999. Cynthia was born without her left hand and discovered that many people in Kenya believed disabilities like hers were caused by curses and she may have even been killed if she had been born there. This knowledge inspired Cynthia to respond when Leonard introduced her to children with disabilities who did not have access to medical care or education. In addition to providing educational assistance, Cynthia and Leonard supported medical interventions, and worked with families and communities to change superstitions connected to disability. Because of these efforts and needs, Kupenda for the Children was registered as an official nonprofit in 2003 with the vision of a fully-integrated society where people of all abilities have access to health, education, and a loving community.

Timeline[]

1998 | Cindy first travels to Kenya as a biologist and learns about the challenges Kenyan children with disabilities face.

1999 | Cindy meets Leonard, a Kenyan special need teacher, who introduces her to children with disabilities on the Kenyan coast.

2000-2002 | Cindy and Leonard collaborate on small-scale projects to raise funds and awareness for the children.

2003 | Cindy registers Kupenda for the Children an official US 501©3 nonprofit

2006 | A significant growth period allows Cindy and Leonard to formalize Kupenda's programs and hire a full-time staff.

2008 | To improve locally-led, long-term solutions, Cindy and Leonard found Kuhenza for the Children in Kenya.

2009 | A teacher's death due to false information from her church inspires Kupenda to develop a spiritual advocacy program.

2013 | Kupenda's disability course equips local leaders to address disability in their communities.

2014-Today | Rising national and global interest in Kupenda advocacy model sparks broader outreach.

Programs[]

• Advocacy Program - Educating families and communities about the rights of children with disabilities and how to support them by advocating for their medical care, education, legal rights, and inclusion in all aspects of society
• Education Program - Supporting children with disabilities to access appropriate, high-quality education while supporting the staff and infrastructure of their schools
• Medical Care Program - Connecting children with disabilities to appropriate medical services including surgeries, medications, and therapy

Technical Services[]

Kupenda is a niche organization focused on improving justice, care and inclusion for families impacted by disability. Each year, Kupenda's work improves quality of life for more than 70,000 children with disabilities in low- and middle-income countries. This success and the organization's 20 years of disability program design and implementation experience qualifies Kupenda to provide the following technical services:

• Training and Counseling for Individuals with Disabilities, their Families, and Community Leaders
• Adaptation and Testing of Materials and Services
• Community or Program Disability Needs Assessments
• Disability Program Monitoring and Evaluation Support
• Consultation on Disability Inclusion Programming and Best Practices
• Disability Grant/Proposal Research and Writing Support

Strategy[]

Kupenda's multilevel strategy is consistent with the social ecological model for social and behavior changes that improve the lives of people living with disabilities:

• Individual and family: Kupenda supports individuals impacted by disabilities and their families with community-based rehabilitation and equip them to advocate for their rights.
• Community: Kupenda addresses harmful beliefs and practices perpetrated at the community level by families, leaders and residents and train them as disability advocates.
• Environmental: Kupenda influences the economic and policy environment by equipping people impacted by disability and influential leaders to create systemic changes that support disability justice.
• Global: Kupenda provides technical assistance to government partners and other organizations to implement best practices for disability inclusion and then partner with these entities for broader influence.

References[]

External links[]

• Official website