Women and girls with disabilities in Narok County have a reason to smile as an organisation dubbed ‘this Ability’ has come in to support them to live a dignified life.
In a bid to enhance their livelihood, the women and girls living with disabilities and a selected portion of health care practitioners drawn from Narok Referral Hospital were taken through a 12-week intensive training on various topics.
Craig Idah, from the ‘This Ability’ organisation, said they have partnered with the medics so that they can help women and girls with disabilities access medication at the health facilities with ease.
He explained that so far, they have implemented their programmes in 13 counties, where in every county, they are guided by a’mama siri’, who works with women and girls with disabilities to help them access justice, medication, and education.
“Mama Siri is a toll-free service, 0800000300, that allows women and girls with disabilities to access referral services on Gender Based Violence (GBV) and Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR),” he explained.
The organisation, he said, has a digital learning programme that allows women and girls to access digital marketing courses via the e-learning process without physical interactions.
“We want to amplify what they are currently doing and venture into new areas through digital marketing skills,” he said.
“At the hospital, the organisation is training the medics and social workers on how to receive the women and girls with disabilities and also equipping them with accessibility tools like sign language interpreters and accessible beds to move up and down,” he said.
Nicholas Lesaloi, a medic at Narok Referral Hospital, thanked ‘the Ability’ organisation for training the health workers, saying they are more equipped to handle women and girls with disabilities.
Mercy Kushumba, working in Narok County as the ‘Mama Siri’, said she helps all women living with disabilities live a dignified life.
She revealed that since the organisation started implementing its programmes in Narok County in January of this year, she has referred four women and three children living with disabilities to the hospital, and she is currently pursuing justice for one teenage girl who was impregnated by an adult man.
“If the women are not able to access medication, I ensure I reach out to them and help them get to the hospital. If they are seeking justice, we help them go through the court processes,” she said.
By Ann Salaton
