Help 106 Children w/Disabilities THRIVE Kenya

This report entails the progress, milestones achieved and challenges of the home in the second quarter of the year, to the period ending August 2022. It had been a challenging period, accompanied with cold weather and electioneering period in our country. We thank God for protecting and being with us all the way, with few cases of illness being observed with the cold season. There also has been a peaceful atmosphere through the election period but a major down turn in our economy with hiking prices for the basic consumer products.

The report is subdivided into the various core departments in the running of the organization which includes:

• Education
• Health and medication (physiotherapy and occupational therapy services)
• Palliative care
• Sustainable projects
• Financial statement

EDUCATION
This period marked the second term of the education calendar year. There was great flow in the children’s classroom with the teachers engaging children in the different programs offered in the institution. Children who attend outside special schools were also able to continue their education. Education is a powerful tool for empowering children with special needs. Through a well curated individual education program for every child, the following were the success stories noted:

• An increased number of children learning to read and write
• Children specializing with the various vocational trainings have improved on their individual skills, which include: beadwork, mat weaving, music, farming skills, cosmetology and pastry.
• A number of children have improved on their speech with a great number learning on healthy communication skills.
• A great number of children have embraced a sense of responsibility, personal hygiene, self-care, dressing themselves, bathing, and cloth washing among many more activities of daily living.
• Children integrated to other schools are doing well with majority of them progressing well with their educational programs.
• The education programs focus on the social and spiritual aspect of a child’s life, there has been a noted upward trend among the children, with a major group improving their social interactions and changing their perception of life as a person with disability.

HEALTH AND MEDICATION
This period was characterized by cold weather conditions in most of the days. The cold weather is a challenging situation to most children with special needs as they require constant care to avoid opportunistic illness and convulsions.

Daily medication drugs were available with heaters installed in the classrooms and dormitories. The caregivers were also proactive on the children’s daily routine and wellbeing. Physiotherapy services progressed well with an addition of an extra resident physiotherapist. The number of children receiving therapy sessions on a day was closely monitored while observing that various occupational activities were undertaken regularly.

Physiotherapy and occupational therapy is the backbone to most of our programs, as it is essential to avoid inactiveness and degradation in most of the children with cerebral palsy and physical handicap. Through these programs the following are the milestones achieved in the life of the children:

• Increased physical activities in most children with physical disabilities and cerebral palsy.
• Reduced number of reported convulsion attacks and opportunistic illness among the children.
• Improvement in their postures, and muscle strength. 
• Most of the children are embracing healthy sitting positions.
• Observed few cases of reported accidents and injuries.
• Reduced muscle stiffness among children and improved feeding among children with cerebral palsy.

SUSTAINABLE PROJECTS
Sustainability is a central component of our organization strategy: we’re working to create a more sustainable future for children and young adults living with disabilities. We’ve already adapted large areas of our operations, and our strategy for the next 5 years will see us continue a program of transformation in everything we do.

As custodians of over 100 children with various special needs, we have a responsibility to operate as sustainably as possible. Our aim is to empower each and every child in our care and in the process equip them with the necessary skills. We are doing that by transforming how we work, improving efficiency and developing income generating projects in the organization.

Sustainable projects in the organization are meant to support the monthly running budget of the organization and also a platform for children to acquire farming and entrepreneurship skills. For the past years the focus of the organization was to strengthen these projects so as to increase the output and reduce the running costs.

During this period the projects suffered a low downturn which is attributed to rising feed prices for the poultry and dairy animals. Produce from these projects has slowed down but we are putting some measures to uplift the projects.

FINANCIAL BUDGET

Amount received: 174,084.78- 27/05/2022

1. Dairy and poultry feeds 65,600

2. medication 38,500

3. Dry food stuff 52, 800

4. Fruits and vegetables 17,000

Subtotal 173,900 

Amount received: 43,331.31- 08/07/2022 

1. Medicine 23,500

2. Dry food stuffs 19,800

Subtotal 43,300 

SPECIAL APPRECIATION

We would like to appreciate the donors through the GlobalGiving foundation for you continuous support through the years, through your funding we have been able to move closer to the vision of the organization, we have also experienced a great improvement on the sustainable development projects with your funding. May God bless you as we continue to walk on this journey of disability together, through your regular funding 103 children at Compassionate Hands are able to afford a smile.