Time has gotten away from us this year!
Though our work in Kenya is more focused and productive than ever before, on the social media/informing end of things I have fallen behind. Writing the summer newsletter has been on my mind!
Though our work in Kenya is more focused and productive than ever before, on the social media/informing end of things I have fallen behind. Writing the summer newsletter has been on my mind!
Anyway, as I work on this tonight, I am reminded of the February newsletter we never really finished So here it is .. as far as we got.. in all its glory. I do like to reflect back this to see how far we have come in the past 6 months.
Yellow House
Children’s Services Newsletter
Winter 2013
Rachael Gibson qualified from Birmingham City
University with a BSc Hons in Speech and Language Therapy in 2007. She has been
affiliated with Yellow House Children's services since May 2011, working
alongside others in developing speech and language therapy programming in
Vihiga.
Though Rachael has spent the last six months back in
Britain, she will be returning to Vihiga in April 2013 in a new capacity to
support Yellow House programs in Western Kenya.
In her time in the UK Rachael has raised $4,000 from generous
friends and family through an online fundraising platform website called
Indiegogo. There were incentives for donors to receive jewelery from MUDSTEP
(Mumias Disability Sustainable Training and Empowerment Project) or artwork
from Kenyan artist Edward Orato, as well as just cash donations. This money is
going to be used by Rachael to provide free speech and language therapy services
across Vihiga district.
Rachael has been featured in her local newspaper, interviewed
by her local radio station and has been contacted by a publicist who wants to
write an article about her work in Kenya for a national magazine.. all of
course are promoting the Yellow House name!(how cool!)
When Rachael gets back to Kenya her role will include the
development of volunteer programs for Yellow House, hoping to generate more of
an income through volunteers, including students and qualified health
professionals. Rachael’s own clinical work will focus on training community
health workers about early language development as well as supporting families who
have children with special needs. Rachael will also continue to work with
mainstream schools, and toincrease awareness about disabilities with a goal of
increasing the acceptance of children with special needs into regular
classroom programing.
We are excited about
Rachael’s plans and look forward to her updates in the year ahead. If you would
like to support Rachael’s work, you can put her name in the note section of
your donation via paypal (be sure to provide a link here)
_______________________________________________________________________
Pambazuko Disability Initiative
By Elizabeth Sada Terry
Pambazuko Disability
Initiative is a registered community-based organization, which was started in
April 2012. It was founded by a group of individuals with varying professional
backgrounds; who are all passionate about special needs education, rehabilitation
and community development and its membership includes individuals with disabilities,
and caregivers of children with disabilities.
The vision of Pambazuko
is for a society that respects people with disabilities and individual
differences, while promoting inclusive communities. Our mission is to improve
the live of people with disabilities by supporting them and their families with
the knowledge and skills to realize their potential and exercise their rights
as relates to education, health and development.
With the help of Yellow House
Children’s Services and other community partners we have been able to carry out
some initial awareness raising activities within Kilifi Township and Takaungu.
We are currently identifying community structures with which we can identify
children with disability, then assess and support them through community-based
programming. Established structures include schools (primary, nursery and
special units), community health worker networks and local leaders. We also
carry out a baseline survey to ascertain the caseload and needs level in the community.
We plan to build our service provision capabilities by developing the skills of
other service providers within the community to ensure sustainability of the
programs.
Community Health Partnership in Collaboration
with the East African Center
It is a global phenomenon that disability and poverty are
closely related. While poverty and disability are both multi-dimensional and
context specific social issues, research shows that outcomes can be changed by
improving access to maternal and child health care. This year, Yellow House Children’s
Services will be working in conjunction with The East African Center in
Takaungu to fund a community-based health team which can support not only the
basic health needs of families in the area, but also play a role in the early
identification process of children with special needs.
Community health workers help families make and keep their
child's health related appointments as well as provide follow-up for home
treatment programs. For 2013, we have agree to provide $6,000 to pay the
monthly salary for two community health workers and a lead medic This money
will also pay for 2 bicycles and provide a small fund to pay for families to
travel to Kilifi for assessment at the EARC or therapy services at the district
hospital.
How can you help?
We need
to raise an additional $8500 to pay for programming in 2013.
This money will support:
-
The monthly
salary of a Kenyan secretarial assistant in Mumias who will be responsible for
helping the very busy clinical team write activity reports and grants, as well
as petition the local authority about needs for children with disabilities.
They will be responsible also for organizing and maintaining Mumias’ resource
center and library.
-
The monthly
salary of Elizabeth Sada Terry
($300/month) as she gets the Pambuzuko Disability Initiative up and
running in Kilifi, as well as supports the Health Care Initiative we have
committed to in conjunction with the East Africa Center in Takaungu.
-
The monthly
salaries for three health care workers in Takaungu
-
Bicycles for
the health care initiative
-
A small
stipend ($100/month) for Rachael Gibson to support her position as Volunteer
coordinator.
All of the money raised
goes to support programs for children with disabilities in Kenya. All
tax-deductible donations can be made through out website at
·
Please give
generously
·
Please plan
to attend our fundraiser in Chicago this April 13, 2013
·
Please
purchase a t-shirt through iheartgarments.com
·
Please like
us on facebook
·
We are also
looking for anyone who might be able to provide design or technology support
for our website
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