10 year old Mpendwa lives with his mother in Kenya. He is the only child in the family, and he has autism.

When Mpendwa was six months old, his mother realised that he was not achieving his developmental milestones as other children born at the same time were. His mother took him to hospital for early intervention, but the doctors said he was fine and he should be given calcium supplement to boost his calcium levels. He was later diagnosed at the age of six with autism.

However, Mpendwa’s challenges did not end there.

While Kenya has a system of free primary education, very few children with disabilities have access to early education, leading to lifelong educational inequalities. In turn, this means young people with disabilities are less likely to be employed, and more likely to be living in poverty. With limited access to education or health care, these young people continue to face injustice, stigma and sometimes abuse and violence.

This is where we came in.

With our network member Action Network for the Disabled (ANDY), Able Child rolled out its inclusive play Early Childhood Education project where children learn how to play together in an inclusive way. Mpendwa was given the platform to learn alongside his peers and develop meaningful relationships.

Mpendwa’s mother also benefitted from her local Parent Support Group which provided psychosocial support during the monthly group meetings. Through the support from the group, she has been able to start her own business which gave her financial relief as well as emotional support.

She was able to enroll Mpendwa in a school near her home where he is doing well. He now enjoys playing with and partaking in activities with his friends.

Together, we can transform the lives of more children like Mpendwa.

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