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Malaika Kids

What:

Established in 2008, the Malaika Kids program is a unique and unprecedented facility for children with special needs and severe disabilities. Malaika Kids aims to ensure that each child reaches his or her potential to lead a life with dignity and independent living skills. Malaika is the Swahili word for 'angel'.

   

Why:

To be disabled either mentally or physically in Kenya typically means living a life of exclusion and shame. The World Bank estimates that 98 percent of youth with disabilities in third world countries do not attend school at all. Children with special needs are often considered cursed and continue to be systematically excluded from public schools, creating even more stigmatization within the larger community. Malaika Kids was created to combat this injustice by providing therapy and education to youth with special needs in Maai Mahiu.

   

How:
  • 30 total students ranging from ages 3 to 18 are currently enrolled. 25 full-time and 5 who commute weekly from neighboring areas for part-time therapy.
  • 3 specialized classes (Shooting Stars, Happy Angels, & Busy Bees) to cater to students' varying needs
  • 1 full-time Special Education Teacher, 1 full-time Occupational Therapist & 5 full-time caretakers assess the students, make referrals to medical facilities and record quarterly progress of each child.
  • Meet with 10 Malaika parents and give home care trainings.
  • Hold workshops for the parents of our Cerebral Palsy student with emphasis on positioning, handling, feeding and dressing, as well as conducting individual house visits for follow-ups. 

Success stories: Ruth, Abby & Teresiah have all graduated; Peter has graduated and enrolled in a school for the deaf; Dan, who has severe cerebral palsy, has been promoted to the most advanced Malaika Kids class thanks to specialized therapy that has taught him new ways to communicate; Lucy has learned to sew and now assists in production with the Malaika Mums.

Ruth Mbatha is a twelve year-old girl with a disabling musculoskeletal disorder who has recently received Orthopaedic braces for her legs, thanks to the generous support of the CTC community. She can now maintain an upright posture unlike before and is able to walk with supports. Ruth received surgery to releif tension in her tendons last week and is in recovery. Follow Ruth's story here, in this video about her and her mother.

   

Meet the kids in this video of our program!
 
Partners:
  • Special Education Professionals of Kenya (SEP) is a society of therapists and teachers who have been working with special needs children across Kenya for the past 10 years. SEP visits Malaika Kids the third Wednesday of each month to assist with mental and physical rehabilitation and provide training to parents and caretakers. Watch a video about SEP featuring CTC here.
  • Sarakasi Trust, an NGO based in Nairobi, is a group dedicated to promoting performing arts and cultural events in Kenya. Representatives from the Sarakasi Trust Hospital Project visit Malaika Kids the first Wednesday of each month and conduct entertaining and educational activities such as arts and crafts, puppetry, acrobatics, poetry, and games.
  • The Acacia Fund, founded by a committed group of individuals in Kansas, is a fundraising effort focused specifically on supporting the Malaika Kids program.

   

What's Next:

With the great success of Malaika Kids has come even greater need. The population of youth with special needs in Maai Mahiu continues to grow, and there are currently over 70 youth on the waiting list. With more resources, our next steps will be to hire a full-time special education teacher and expand the facility to accommodate more students. We are also hoping to develop an exit program offering other vocational training such as gardening, carpentry and welding, for the children who are able to graduate from the Malaika Kids program. In addition, we are preparing to replicate the program soon in a nearby Maasai community.

Check out the Acacia Fund Facebook page for more updates on our Malaika Kids!

Further Reading: