Ruiru MP cautions against hiding handicapped children

 

Ruiru MP Simon King’ara has appealed to parents not to hide their physically and mentally handicapped children.

The lawmaker on Monday said the government, alongside nongovernmental organisations, is up to the task and ready to counsel the disabled and provide them with assistive devices.

King’ara urged parents to overcome the stigma of having disabled children for the sake of their future, noting that thousands of handicapped children suffer silently in homes.

“I appeal to parents not to lock up their handicapped children; it’s a disservice to them. There’s help out here, with so many NGOs and lobby groups ready to assist both the parents and the children,” the MP said.

King’ara spoke in Githurai 45 while donating 50 wheelchairs and food to children with physical disabilities. They were drawn from Mwiki, Mwihoko, Kahawa Wendani and Kiuu wards.

Ng’ang’a King’ara Foundation, a charitable institution established by the legislator, partnered with The Master Empowerment Centre and Bethany Kids to provide the donations. The children included those with severe cerebral palsy.

At the same time, the lawmaker called on the national and county governments to give special preference to people living with disabilities to ease the additional hardship they face in the wake of the Covid-19 crisis.

King’ara cited the dire need to empower the disabled economically through deliberate efforts to boost their incomes and living standards.

"The disabled are facing tough economic hardship during this pandemic and the state should devise ways of helping them sail through this storm. They need mobility devices, food and a decent income,” he said.

The beneficiaries expressed their gratitude and appealed to the state, the county government and other well-wishers to help them overcome their economic challenges. They lamented that the national and county governments have turned a blind eye to their predicaments.

Zipporah Maina, a mother of two physically handicapped children in Githurai, said the wheelchairs will end her struggle of carrying them around.

“The wheelchairs will be of great help to me and my children,” she said.

She, however, added that she is facing myriad challenges, including feeding her children as she has no job.

"I used to clean clothes for people within Githurai and Mwiki, but since the onset of Covid-19, I lost the job as most people are usually in their homes. Life is really difficult.

"I spend over Sh40,000 per month on buying drugs for one of my kids who is bed-ridden. I depend on well-wishers and I wish the government could extend their help,” she said.