By Obegi Malack
obegimalack@gmail.com
Kenya Institute of Special Education (KISE) has announced that it will hold its fourth conference on parental empowerment and engagement in nurturing potential of children living with disability next month.
In a media briefing on Tuesday in the Institution’s premises, KISE Director Dr Norman Kiogora said that the conference which will be held on 24th and 25th of November will target parents who have children with special needs and those living with disabilities from across the country.
The conference theme is ‘Parental Empowerment and Engagement in Nurturing Potential of Children Living with Disability’. The registration for the conference is ongoing online through the institution’s website; https://mkutano.kise.ac.ke/
KISE is targeting to have more than 500 parents attend the forum in person.
“Every child is a blessing and he or she needs to be appreciated. Parents with children with special needs spend most of their time with these children and they go through a lot. They will be empowered to be aware that these children need opportunities not favors. They can become whoever they desire just like any other child,” the director said.
Kiogora added that they are targeting to hear and spread parents’ and caregivers’ stories to encourage those who are hiding their children to bring them out.
He noted that there is a lot of information that the community was not aware of about people living with disabilities such as the Constitution stipulation that they be offered 30% of tenders in public institutions.
KISE Deputy Academic Registrar, Examinations Johannah Mweu said that the parents need support through advocacy.
He pointed out that there are cases of parents running away after giving birth to children with special needs.
“We witness families breaking because of special needs children, some parents resign to take care of the children. It is advocacy that they need to be able to take care of their children,” said Mweu, who is also Chairperson of the conference.
KISE Research Coordinator, Dr. Lynette Ongera said that in the last conference, parents felt that they were left out so they included them in this year’s conference.
Ongera who chairs the conference’s Scientific Committee said that the event will focus on how parents and caregivers need to be supported, sharing experiences on parenting, awareness and advocacy of their rights.
After the conference they shall come up with a report and policy recommendations for implementation.
In the latest survey by KISE, 11% of school going children live with disability.
Most people living with disability are not aware of their rights and business opportunities thus the institution has come up with a program titled Disability Entrepreneurship for Persons Living with Disabilities whose classes are offered for free.
KISE is a government institution that offers special needs services to special children. The facility offers services at low cost compared to private facilities.
