Nondo Kenya

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SPLAN

The Beginning of new era

Northern Nomadic Disabled Persons’ Organization (NONDO) has launched its 2023-2027 Strategic Plan in Nairobi, Kenya. The strategic plan was launched on March 16th at the Emory Hotel in Kileleshwa. The plan outlines the vision, mission, goals, and priorities of the organization for the next five years. NONDO advocates for the rights, inclusion, and participation of persons with disabilities from pastoralist/nomadic communities. The organization has adopted a participatory approach in developing the strategic plan, including sampling champions using google docs for data collection and reviewing NONDO’s previous strategic plans, reports, policies, and national laws. The Goal of NONDO’s strategic plan is to utilize advocacy as a means to re-engineer the service delivery infrastructure and enhancing space for meaningful participation of the persons with disability in Arid and Semi-arid areas in Kenya. This forms a strong foundation for advocacy programs that enable effective outcomes for persons with disabilities. The launch of the strategic plan is a significant milestone for NONDO, and the organization believes it represents a strong, able, and demanding future for the organization. With a focus on building strong leadership and new innovations, NONDO hopes to empower pastoralist/nomadic communities towards achieving diverse, inclusive, and res. The slogan of NONDO, “Able to do things differently,” reflects the organization’s commitment to making a positive difference in the lives of persons with disabilities. Download the new strategy plan 2023- 2027

web

NONDO Launches a New Website with Enhanced Interactivity

Northern Nomadic Disabled Persons’ Organization (NONDO) has launched its new organizational website. The organization recognizes that having a website is not enough, but having an effective, interactive, and accessible website is a top priority. The website has been designed to promote the organization as a brand and enhance awareness of its work. With many activities and transactions now taking place online, the website is expected to attract and provider information to partners, stakeholders and communities enable them interact with the organization’s work. The website is also user-friendly, with features that cater to various interests of persons with disabilities, and easy navigation. With improved feedback mechanisms and other exciting features, the new website marks a significant milestone in NONDO’s efforts to enhance its digital presence and promote engagement with its stakeholders.

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Miss desert wheel race as Naratted by Caroline

I am Caroline and this is my story. I was born with a medical condition called Spinal Bifida. My dad on realizing my disability got separated from my mum. He said my condition is a curse. Sadly, again when I was still a baby, I lost my mum. I was left under the care of my grandparents. My aging grandparents couldn’t understand the condition that leads to my disability. Later through the advice of relatives and their close friends, they took me to Kijabe Hospital for corrective surgery. After spending one year in the hospital, the surgery was not successful. According to the doctors it was too late to perform any corrective surgeries. All my life I have only known a wheelchair. Despite so much stigma and labelling surrounding my wheelchair lifestyle, I was lucky to have gotten an opportunity of joining a school. I joined Dagoretti Special School for my primary Education, and later Joytown Sec School for the Physically Handicapped for my high school. Later in life, I developed a passion for sign language. I had friends who are deaf, and we are close, and this made me learn this language. I wanted to make stories and have fun with them. I, therefore, went to Kenya Institute of Special Education (KISE) for some courses on KSL. Also, together with some other close friends including NONDO’s CEO Mr. Hassan, I am a certified Motivation UK Peer Trainer where sometimes I visit National Spinal Injury Hospital and Kenyatta National Hospital to talk to and encourage patients who sustained life-changing injuries or conditions – it doesn’t matter how many times life knocks us down, we should instead turn trials of life into opportunities. I am a sporting lady and currently, I am the captain of the National Wheelchair Basketball Team. I Race in the standard chartered marathon, wheelchair category, and so far, won five times in a row. Being a woman with a disability is not a walk in the park I have faced countless discrimination and rejections, but I thank God for the far He has brought me. My grandmother used to tell me ‘My daughter know that you are very beautiful’ those words kept me going and raised my self-esteem. I participated in the 1st edition of NONDO’s The Desert Fashion Gala 2017 in Kajiado County. It was my first time to participate in such an event. Even though that year, I have not made to the top three I was inspired and got huge confidences of appearing in front of a massive audience. I modelled with some amazing, beautiful and intelligent fellow girls with disabilities. And last year (2nd edition, 2018) I was crowned the winner. The event happened in a beautiful hotel in Isiolo County called Sarova Shaba Game Lodge- under a clear sky. I got an opportunity of walking down the ‘aisle’ with some cabinet secretaries, Governors and scores of other leaders -I only met before in TVs and newspapers. It was fun! I must appreciate NONDO for organizing such a unique event and for bringing different communities and cultures to come together; share stories and bring out the beauty, ability, and uniqueness of women and girls with disabilities. The fashion show prize money together with the prize money from the standard chartered marathon I’m planning to buy a car. In Kenya, public transport is not only difficult but a nightmare for millions of us with disabilities especially wheelchair users. A car is not a luxury for me but a necessity. With now my title as Ambassador of The Desert Wheel Race, I will use the Crown as an opportunity of advocating for access to health care services, family life and reproductive health for women and girls with disabilities. I am currently dating the love of my life and soon we will be marrying. Happy Valentine to all beautiful and inspiring couples of this world.

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My experiences as a blind woman in Kenya during the Covid19- As Narrated by Angeline

My name is Angeline. The Covid-19 Pandemic would not have come at a more inappropriate time. Not to say that there ever could be an appropriate time for a pandemic! And I know that my feelings are shared by billions world over. And even more by the more than 1 billion persons with disabilities in the globe. For I am a woman with a disability. I am blind. I was eagerly waiting to join a very competitive Fellowship in the United States in July of this year. The first time I applied for this Fellowship, I did not make it. But now, the second time of trying, I had been selected from thousands of applicants. This was so important for me, as it was an opportunity for me to build on my leadership skills and learn together with other leaders from all over the world. Obviously, all this has been pushed forward. And to say I was disappointed, would be an understatement. I have been doing consultancies as a woman with disability, doing trainings on disability inclusion; holding talks and seminars, by and large trying to ensure that our world becomes a little more aware and more intentional about including all persons with disabilities in all spheres of life. But for over 5 weeks now, I have been all locked up in my house. The consultancies are far and in between, and the few where I have engaged are not paying. I reflect on my own experience and as much as I am worried about these challenges, I worry more about persons with disabilities who are unreached, both by communication on the disease, but also on the support from our government. I can not move out as I am at a high risk to contract the disease. I worry because I have to use more sanitizer, both for my white cane and also that I have to touch surfaces to move about. Again, for social distancing, it is another barrier for me, as I have to have a guide at close range. And so, for me, the 5 weeks, with little or no money coming in, I have had to rely on the grace of friends. Praying one day to the next, that I have something to take me to the next day and so on. The government has announced that they are giving relief to vulnerable populations, including us, as persons with disabilities. Unfortunately, this is not something that I have seen happening. The authorities have a prerogative to register the vulnerable in every ward. I hear money has been allocated. But neither have I been registered, and neither have I received any of this financial support. The government at the local level, must intentionally find organizations of persons with disabilities to work with at this very crucial point. Also, organizations of persons with disabilities must proactively seek to work with the government. Right now, my fear, above the Covid19, is starvation. This I know is the fear of many vulnerable households. We must ensure that no one of us is stripped off their dignity as a human person because of this pandemic. We cannot allow a population’s dignity to be reduced to begging and praying that they get their next meal, that they may find a well wisher to give them a few shillings for their next meal. The government must be aware of this. Everyone must be treated with dignity and equality. We are all in this together. I have an understanding landlord, but I worry that as the days pass and the situation remains, it could get worse. My hope is that the government is more intentional about reaching us. About reaching and providing for every household that needs this support. For a start, we need all the basic requirements including food and sanitizers

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Education is an Equalizer, as narrated by Salat Abdi

 My name is Salat Abdi and I am Deaf. Deafness is part of me, it is my identity, I was born hearing but during my childhood I caught a disease which led to my deafness. I come from a very humble background in a remote area of Wajir County. Born in a family of ten, none is educated apart from my little sister who is in primary school and I. My parents never thought that Deaf person can go to school and learn at all. Until one day one of my uncles who is a teacher came visiting and  he informed my parents of a school for the Deaf in town. At first my parents were reluctant but later they gave in.I was admitted and my thirst for Education even at that tender age won’t let me cry as my parents left me there alone with strangers. Instead, I settled in and embraced my new family. My parents have never paid my fees. Thanks to free primary school Education and the scholarship I got through NONDO. I can never thank them enough. I sat for my KCSE last year and got C although I was expecting a B. Disappointed with my grade, I decided to resit for the exams, but my teachers were against the idea. I want to do Education, so I’ll enrol for a certificate in P1 course, and then slowly climb the ladder of Education. I thank my teachers both from primary and high school. They encouraged and made a responsible Deaf youth out of me. I know my disability will never prevent me from achieving major accomplishments in life. Currently, I am a Volunteer at my former high school as peer educator. I have also applied for a volunteer job at VSO.I pray that I get this opportunity because it will expose me to different environment and diverse experience. My motivation to work harder to succeed in life, is to see my parents live a better life.

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Saved from Jaws of Crocodiles

Was I born during the wrong times, to wrong parents, in the wrong environment? or was I one of the cultural rejects? My story is almost like that of Moses in the bible. In the bible the pharaoh wanted to get rid of the male children born during that time but Moses mum wanted her son to live. She hid him in a basket by the shores of the river Nile and from a distance kept a watchful eye on him. sure, enough he survived and was raised by the same people who would have killed him. In my case the Pharaoh of my time was the myths and negative cultural beliefs associated with disability. the culture that almost took my life. Two male children in our then neighborhood were born. Not during the same day but the same period. One of them was me. It was at the age of two when my parents discovered I couldn’t walk because I had a disability. I was not the only one my neighbor’s son too. Automatically they thought a curse has befallen on them. Instead of taking us to the hospital to get us some help, a unanimous decision was made by both parties to get rid of both of us in order to avoid the curse because of our disabilities. At 2:00 am early morning, when our parents were sure everyone is asleep and no one can witness the atrocity, they were about to commit, we were taken to lake Turkana. A place where the journey of our lives which has barely begun was to end. The father of the other child forced the mum to kill him. she strangled him to death and threw him into the lake. When my turn came, my mum was hesitant as she told me later. She couldn’t disobey my dad, yet she wanted me to live even if raised by someone else. She found a basket may be similar to that of Moses. This kind of basket is used to draw water out of the boats. She put me in it letting me float on the lake may be slowing my death or hopping somehow, I will be saved. She told my dad that she has killed me, and they hurriedly left me there. In a crocodile infested lake. I was not meant to die, whatever happened I had to live to narrate this. Something caught the basket I was put in to stopped it from float further into the deep waters. I believe it was a gordian angel who stopped it and watched over me the whole time I was there. Very early that morning, some tourists who had come to swim and leisure around the lake found me still alive and took me to olkalau disability and rehabilitation centre in Nyandarau. A catholic centre. The sister in charge received me and cared for me. Since they did not know my name, they named Bellington. I never knew the real reason for me being at the centre, I thought it was because of my disability. Like most of the children at the centre, I never went for holidays but we didn’t see it as a big deal. Looking back, I think it was unfair. Then during the 2007 elections all hell broke loose. The election conflict was so bad my rescuer had to run away to safety back to her country. The centre was left without any one to take care of it. All the children were taken to different centres. I was taken to John Paul centre for physically handicapped in Turkana. I continued with my studies there until I finished primary school. Some well wishers came on board and paid for our fees in high school. When I was in form three NONDO took over and paid for the remaining years. I finished high school and applied for a diploma course at Mount Kenya university. Through CDF brasseries and national council for persons with disabilities, I was able to successfully complete the diploma course. On completion, although I wanted to continue with my studies, it was not possible. Therefore, I decided to look for a job to sustain my living and if possible, continue with my studies. I was lucky I got an internship with NCPWD where I was paid 15000 which was barely enough for my upkeep. The internship ended and I got another one with that also ended. After struggling for a while, I finally got employed at huduma centre Turkana as a pension officer. My appeal is for more awareness to be created on disability to demystify the myths associated with disability. This is what almost took my life. I would not like what happened to me, to happened to anybody else or any other child. I know so many children have lost their lives this way which is very unfortunate. Disability is not a curse is not a choice.