Kenya: Free Physiotherapy Provides Hope to Disabled Destitute

By Eric Sande

NAIROBI---In Nairobi’s Kibera slums, there is a centre unique in its operations, catering for destitute children with disabilities. It provides physiotherapy services to physically disabled children within the slum.

Known as Paolo's Home, the centre was established in response to a realization that there were many physically disabled children seeking assistance at the next door children’s home called Ndugu Mdogo Rescue Centre whose mandate is to promote street interventions and youth empowerment programmes, besides supporting  child rescue initiatives and providing in-house care, support and rehabilitation of children in need.

Paolo’s Home was officially opened on December 10, 2007. It then started its operations in March 2008, with a full time physiotherapist and a counsellor, who also doubles as the initiative's coordinator.

Although the initiative had originally aimed to concentrate on 30 cases a year, the need for the services has proved to be overwhelming. This target was quickly surpassed when, in the first week alone, 46 children with disability were received at the centre.

In an interview with Janet Kiluu the administrator of the centre, she says, “The main challenges that we are facing is lack of funds to upgrade the centre to a fully packed facility to rehabilitate the children with disabilities.”

People with disability are still stigmatized in Kenya, and although disabled children basically have the same needs as any other children, their handicap makes it much more difficult to fulfill those needs, more so in situations of poverty and stigma. Moreover, they are seldom included in overall developmental programmes, even the most basic ones like education. It is for this reason that Paolo's Home was established to help such children make the first step towards realizing their potential.

“Our vision is to start a day care center which will help children to acquire simple Activities of Daily Living (ADL) as well as improve on speech therapy which will facilitate the care givers’ duty to provide  for the rest of the siblings in the family,” said  Kiluu.

This initiative was inspired by Paolo, a young man from Fabriano, Italy, who suffered from muscular dystrophy. Paolo made a daily commitment to fight for the rights of the sick and the disabled. In spite of his physical condition, his courage, smile and positive attitude was an inspiration to many, and he radiated joy and hope to all who approached him.

Paolo died at the age of 36 in 2006. In his last years, he used the internet as a means to support and encourage other disabled people. A group of Paolo's friends, who had visited Nairobi and Kibera, pledged to support a project that would keep his memory alive and carry on with his commitment to improve the lot of the disabled. They provided funding for Paolo's Home, and continue to support its operations.

The centre’s aim is to improve the disabled children’s muscle function and mobility, ease physical pain and improve their blood circulation. This is done using methods such as massage, therapeutic stretches and exercise. The initiative also helps refer extreme cases to orthopaedic specialists. Unfortunately, most families or guardians cannot afford the advanced orthopaedic services, and Paolo’s Home is currently unable to assist them meet the hefty costs.

The centre hopes to be able to facilitate access to artificial limbs, crutches and other physical aids for the physically disabled. In this regard, a closer relationship with the Association for the Physically Disabled in Kenya (APDK) and Kijabe Hospital in Kenya is being pursued. APDK has so far helped one child obtain a walking aid.

Many parents despair in the face of their child’s physical disability. Paolo’s Home provides a free counselling service for such parents. The aim is to give them faith that all is not lost for their children. The centre’s group therapy programme especially helps these parents share their experiences and find strength in each other.

The initiative has an Outreach Programme where the physiotherapist and the counsellor visit the homes of registered children to follow up on their progress. Owing to resource limitations, this programme is currently confined to the precincts of the Kibera slums. The centre, however, hopes to expand its outreach into neighbouring areas, starting with the west of Nairobi.