Children living with disabilities in Nairobi and its environs benefitted from a donation of food and non-food items by First Lady Margaret Kenyatta’s Beyond Zero initiative.
The donation, which is part of the First Lady’s contribution to the national response against Covid-19 will help cushion the children and their caregivers against the adverse effects of the pandemic.
Beyond Zero’s Coordinator Ms Angella Langat presented the donation which included bales of uji mix, maize flour and boxes of long life milk to nine charity and community based organizations that cater for children with special needs and other vulnerable groups at Acorn Special Tutorials School at Gichungo in Ruthimitu, Nairobi County.
Other donated items were sanitizers, face masks, salt, bags of sugar, rice and beans, packets of tea leaves, cartons of cooking oil as well as packaging bags.
“We are here to show solidarity with you during this time when the country and the world are grappling with the COVID-19 pandemic. We hope that this donation will cushion the children with disability and their caregivers,” Ms Langat said.
The nine organizations that received the donation included the hosts Acorn Special Tutorials Centre, Little Rock Centre, Crossing Bridges Ngong Branch and Sweet Aroma which were represented by their directors Ms Eva Naputuni Nyoike, Ms Saturina Orumoi, Ms Lilly Oyare and Grace Maina respectively.
Other beneficiaries included Bringing Hope Charity International, Special Education Professionals, Crossing Bridges Naivasha Branch, Nongera Education Centre and Nyumba Kumi Gichungo.
Speaking after receiving the donation, Ms Nyoike thanked First Lady Margaret Kenyatta and the Beyond Zero team saying the items will not only help the children with special needs at Acorn Special Tutorials Centre but also other vulnerable people in the centre’s neighbourhood.
“We have identified about 30 elderly persons in dire need so we will pay them a visit with some of these goodies.
“This is godsend. This has made a great difference in the lives of the vulnerable. We are very grateful, May God bless you,” Ms Nyoike said.
Ms Lilly Oyare of the Kibera-based Little Rock Centre said the donation will support the children living with disability at her organization whose parents are mostly casual labourers who have been rendered jobless as a result of the restrictions brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Little Rock Centre runs nutritional care, therapy and mentorship programmes in addition to providing inclusive early childhood education to vulnerable children and those living with disability.
Also present during the donation were Ms Eva Maina and Ms Vivianne Ngugi from the Office of the First Lady, and Ms Jane Kiragu of Beyond Zero among others.
