It was a sigh of relief for People with Disabilities in Kisumu County, after the Walkabout Foundation donated 100 wheelchairs to support their mobility and improve their lives.
Kisumu Deputy Governor, Dr. Mathews Owili, speaking during the handover ceremony hailed the initiative saying the donation would enhance the independence and quality of life for the recipients, allowing them greater access to education, employment and community engagement.
“We are deeply honoured and excited by your presence and generosity to donate these assistive devices that will significantly impact lives of people with disability in the region,” said Owili.
Carol Mureithi, a wheelchair technician and service provider with Walkabout Foundation, revealed that the foundation was established in 2014, but gained significant momentum in 2018, when they began employing locals who are disabled.
The foundation not only provides mobility solution, but also creates employment opportunities for people with disabilities.
Mureithi added that the foundation also provides support in case of mechanical hitches, noting that the wheelchairs have their contacts through which the beneficiaries can reach them for assistance.
She stated that the foundation also provided washable sanitary towels and diapers.
In addition, Mureithi announced that the foundation would return to Kisumu in September with more wheelchairs and variety of them depending on the needs of the person’s disability.
Phanice Aloyce, a mother of a disabled child, expressed profound gratitude to the Foundation for providing a wheelchair to her child.
“I am thankful to the Walkabout Foundation for the wheelchair, before this my child faced severe mobility issues and spent most of the time at home, accessing medical services was a burden for us, this wheelchair will change our lives, giving my child freedom to walk and move around,” she said.
By Stanely Kayaga and Sauda Hussein
