Orione Community Training Centre Ongata Rongai in partnership with the Embassy of Chile and Strathmore University School of Law are raising awareness on the plight of people living with disability in Kenya through the implementation of a joint project advocating for recognition of their constitutional rights.
Speaking in Ongata Rongai at the launch of a handbook to raise awareness on the constitutional rights of persons with disabilities, Chilean Ambassador to Kenya, Alejandra Guerra emphasized the commitment of the government of Chile in protection of human rights.
“The government of Chile takes pride in ensuring that human rights are respected. We are pleased to partner with the government of Kenya to build a more inclusive society for people living with disability and hope to collaborate on more projects that benefit the community in the future,” Guerra said.
Father Peter Wamburu of Orione Training Centre said people living with disability should be protected and given recognition in the society.
He lauded the government of Chile for promoting inclusion of people with disability in both Kenya and Chile through their embassy.
“The society must change attitude towards people living with disability that leads to social exclusion. Orione Training Centre has been one institution that has shown that people living with disability given an opportunity can carry out responsibility without dependence,” said Father Wamburu.
The implementation project targets caregivers, nurses, policy makers, law enforcement officers and members of the community through sensitization against discrimination of people living with disabilities in Kenya which increased during the Covid-19 pandemic.
As part of the implementation project, a social media awareness campaign has been conducted to create visibility for people living with disability through creating legal awareness of the rights of differently and train persons on the provision of legal assistance to vulnerable persons.
The simplified disability awareness handbook launched is a product of the concluded four-day online workshop on the rights of persons living with disability that was conducted to advocate for increased acceptance of people with disability and demystify myths and stereotypes associated with people living with disability.
By Amy Moyi and Rop Janet
