10/05/2026
Good morning everyone,
Distinguished guests, partners, cyclists, healthcare advocates, mothers, and friends,
On behalf of Talking Hands Listening Eyes Program (THLEP), I warmly welcome you all to the Critical Mass Ride Nyeri for Maternal Mental Health. Today is a powerful and meaningful day as we gather not only to ride for awareness, but also to stand for dignity, inclusion, healing, and hope for women and mothers with disabilities.
Today also marks the celebration of Mother's Day. As we honor mothers around the world, we especially recognize mothers with disabilities, Deaf mothers, mothers raising children with disabilities, and women silently battling maternal mental health challenges such as anxiety, depression, trauma, and emotional exhaustion.
Motherhood is beautiful, but it can also be overwhelming. Many women suffer in silence because mental health is still misunderstood, ignored, or stigmatized. For women with disabilities, the burden is often heavier due to discrimination, communication barriers, lack of accessible healthcare, economic hardship, and social isolation.
Today’s ride is therefore more than cycling.
It is a movement.
It is advocacy.
It is healing in motion.
It is a declaration that maternal mental health matters and that women with disabilities deserve accessible, respectful, and compassionate care.
As the CEO of THLEP, I deeply regret that I am unable to physically join you today. However, my heart, my voice, and my commitment remain fully present with every cyclist on this road. Your willingness to ride despite the weather, the distance, and your busy schedules demonstrates true solidarity and humanity.
To all the cyclists gathered here today, thank you.
Thank you for using your bicycles as instruments of awareness and change.
Thank you for carrying this message into the streets of Nyeri.
Thank you for standing with mothers whose voices are rarely heard.
Your ride today tells every struggling mother:
“You are seen. You are valued. You are not alone.”
I also wish to appreciate our partners, volunteers, medical teams, disability advocates, county representatives, and organizing committees who have worked tirelessly to make this initiative possible. Your support proves that when communities come together, we can break stigma and build inclusive spaces for healing and support.
Today’s Critical Mass Ride is also the official beginning of a greater journey as we build momentum toward the grand ClimaX event on 30th May 2026. This launch symbolizes the start of sustained advocacy, conversations, partnerships, and action around maternal mental health and disability inclusion.
As we count down to the ClimaX, let us continue:
Creating awareness,
Supporting mothers emotionally and socially,
Advocating for accessible maternal healthcare,
Encouraging mental wellness,
And ensuring that no woman with disability is left behind.
To every mother here today and every mother represented in this ride:
We celebrate your strength.
We honor your sacrifices.
We acknowledge your resilience.
And we commit ourselves to creating a society where your mental health and wellbeing are prioritized.
As you ride today from Karen Hospital Parking through the town and finish at KMTC Nyeri, may every pedal carry a message of hope, inclusion, and transformation.
Together, we can build communities where mothers are supported, women with disabilities are empowered, and mental health is treated with compassion and urgency.
Happy Mother’s Day to all mothers.
Thank you all for showing up for this c bless the work ahead of us as w
Judy Kihumba
Thlep CEO.
