Cheshire Disability Services Kenya

12/04/2025

Resource mobilization is a crucial component for organizations striving for sustainability and consistency in their initiatives.

Through the Make Way Programme, CDSK organized a two-day training on organizational governance and resource mobilization for young people from its previously established safe spaces in Kisumu, Seme and Muhoroni Sub-Counties.

The training aimed to:
• Strengthen participants’ understanding of effective organizational governance principles and practices.
• Introduce key strategies for resource mobilization, including proposal writing, partnerships, and fundraising.
• Guide participants in developing actionable plans to improve governance and mobilize resources within their groups and spaces.

The session culminated in collaborative group work, where the 30 participants actively developed a fundraising plan for a project. Besides, they were taken through proposal writing to equip them with essential skills for securing funding and implementing initiatives effectively.

To ensure continuity and progress, CDSK will conduct follow-ups to assess how teams are executing the activities formulated during the training

As an action point, the participants, who are from the three sub counties, Kisumu Central, Muhoroni and Seme, agreed to have at least 3 formalized and structured groups by the end of June 2025.

A rough assessment of the session revealed a score of 90% in terms of participants’ understanding of the content. However, they expressed a need for more comprehensive training on proposal writing and its fundamental principles.

The Make Way Programme is dedicated to advocating for and empowering young people by amplifying their voices, ensuring their meaningful inclusion in policy formulation, and implementation processes.

The programme firmly believes that young people are powerful change-makers when granted the rights to participate and be heard. To foster this, it champions meaningful youth engagement and the establishment of safe spaces for SRHR advocacy.

Motivated by the programme's impact, these youthful participants remain committed to sustaining its best practices even beyond its phase-out. They aspire to establish community-based organizations (CBOs) and self-help groups to further their initiatives and drive meaningful change. Some already having plans in cascading the Make Way tools among likeminded youth led CSOs in Kisumu.

SRHR Advocacy

08/04/2025

During the commemoration of the World Health Day, guided by the global theme “Healthy Beginnings, Hopeful future, we wanted to share some of the key problems and solutions that marginalized groups in the society; people with disabilities, refugees and young mothers experience when accessing SRHR. In relations to https://www.make-way.org/ initiatives globally.

World Health Organization (WHO) Liliane Fonds

07/04/2025

One of the primary challenges in managing disability cases during their early stages is ensuring early identification and intervention
In collaboration with Mumias Educational Assessment and Resource Centre (EARC), CDSK through the Inclusive Early Childhood Development and Education (IECD&E) Project has made significant strides in strengthening systems for the early identification and intervention of learning needs.

EARC

Let’s explore why early identification and intervention are crucial 👇

https://youtu.be/4MCyhDL4o7I

One of the primary challenges in managing disability cases during their early stages is ensuring early identification and interventionIn collaboration with M...

04/04/2025

CDSK's approach to Early Identification and Early Intervention (EiEi) stand out in mitigating developmental delays, thereby reducing the severity of the disability, as seen in some of the children supported by our initiatives.

This was acknowledged during Autism Awareness Day in Kisumu at Lumumba Sub County Hospital. Represented by Inclusive Early Childhood Development & Education (IECD&E) Project, CDSK partnered with Kisumu County, CSOs and other stakeholders in marking this auspicious day.

The event aimed at creating awareness and addressing major challenges in the intervention for ASD with a lineup of activities from free medical and functional assessment for all children with disabilities from 14 years and below, free therapy, counselling and nutrition services.

The Kisumu County’s Rehabilitation coordinator, George Omamo shared an ongoing proposal within the Kisumu County Health Ministry under rehabilitation department aiming towards waiving medical assessment fees.

“With a lot of optimism this will lessen the financial burden to the caregivers, and they should bring out their children with disabilities for appropriate interventions at early ages.” He concluded.

Even as stakeholders lay emphasis on the psychosocial well-being of the caregivers and economic empowerment for the households, it was noted that caregivers are still forgotten in the conversations as they play a key role in nurturing children with disabilities.

In conclusion the Kisumu County Director for Education, Rosemary Birenge, encouraged the caregivers to take their school going children for educational assessment services at the Educational Assessment Resources Centers- EARCs for the appropriate placement.

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition characterized by challenges in social interaction, communication, and restrictive or repetitive behaviors. Symptoms typically emerge in early childhood and occur three to four times more frequently in boys than in girls, as per previous research.

Michael Otochi

03/04/2025

We are glad to have been represented at the Global Disability Summit 2025 https://cheshiredisabilityservices.org/?p=4196 in Berlin, by our Chief Executive Officer, Mrs. Cecilia Mutava and Nancy Loko- Project Officer.

They share deep insights on valuable lessons learnt from the presentations by countries; Kenya’s commitments, to the breakout sessions even as stakeholders and delegates emphasize the importance of collaboration to improve the life prospects of people with disabilities, disability inclusion as well as committing to supporting policies that uphold the rights of persons with disabilities.

01/04/2025

Every April, the world comes together to observe Autism Acceptance Month, with World Autism Awareness Day marked annually on April 2nd.

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition characterized by challenges in social interaction, communication, and restrictive or repetitive behaviors. Symptoms typically emerge in early childhood and occur three to four times more frequently in boys than in girls.

Join our team as we collaborate with Kisumu County and other stakeholders to commemorate World Autism Awareness Day on April 2, 2025, at Lumumba Sub-County Hospital. Among other services, free medical assessments will be provided for children aged 0–14 years. Parents are encouraged to attend and take advantage of this opportunity.

World Autism Awareness Day National Council for Persons with Disabilities (NCPWD) Tinada Youth Action Africa

27/03/2025

To what extent do you comprehend the concept of meaningful youth engagement, and do you actively uphold its values by incorporating young people into policy formulation and other strategic development initiatives?

In upholding the principles of Make Way programme’s meaningful youth engagement strategy, CDSK is advocating with and for youth with disabilities and compounded vulnerabilities towards the realization of their rights in accessing Sexual reproductive health rights.

Please click the link to find out more on how our youth champions are engaging in SRH advocacy and taking charge of their SRHR...
👇👇👇

SRHR Advocacy

Make Way brought a new perspective into my life of valuing every individual's experiences and opinions in the community, treating everyone

25/03/2025

March 25th is the World Cerebral Palsy (CP) awareness Day, a day to honor CP community, educate others and support ongoing research on CP, as more advocacy for policy change and research is needed.

Did you know that cerebral palsy is a physical disability that affects a person's ability to move? It's a complex condition that can result in a range of physical disabilities, from mild to severe.
However, with the right treatments and therapies, people with cerebral palsy can manage their symptoms and improve their quality of life.

On this day we celebrate the resilience of Shavic Ashley Okumu, a 10-year-old boy with cerebral palsy and spina bifida.
Shavic under the care of his grandmother Leah Anyango Odhiambo, has proven that his condition is not the end for him and does not limit him in his quest of acquiring education and aspiration of becoming a doctor in future.

Shavic was onboarded in our Inclusive Early childhood Development and Education (IECD&E) project, and he has proven to be optimistic, industrious and strong.

Shavic, currently in pp1, has grown his social skills, he has created friends and enjoy learning together with his peers.

25/03/2025

Eastern POs Management Meeting
CDSK through the Multi Annual Programme Plan (MAPP) project, held a Partner Organization (PO) Management/staff Meeting in Nairobi. The meeting targeted 27 partners within the Eastern region.

The one-day meeting focused on evaluating the achievements, challenges, gaps, lessons learned, and recommendations from the 2024 implementation. It also aimed to discuss CDSK’s 2025 trajectory and strategies and how well to support PO staff in the project's implementation.

What stood out was the key role played by POs in the implementation of the MAPP project as they directly interact with communities.

In fostering the principles of building effective networks and achieving the objectives of the MAPP project, CDSK commits to support its partner organizations in planning, implementation, and reporting processes. In seeing the project's goal of, transforming and improving the lives of children and youth with disabilities, as well as their caregivers, fully realized

21/03/2025

TEACHER DEVELOPMENT IN PLAY-BASED LEARNING APPROACH
For inclusive education to thrive, it is essential to prioritize teacher development in play-based learning. Early learners grasp concepts more effectively through play, as well learners with disabilities benefit significantly from the use of vibrant and engaging objects or images.

Through the Inclusive Early Childhood Development and Education Project (IECD&E), CDSK, in collaboration with its partner organization, Mumias Educational and Resource Centre (EARC), employs a multidisciplinary approach to support the development and management of children with disabilities.

Besides, the IECDE project has been able to train teachers on key agendas within the inclusive education, be it inclusive play-based education, individualized plan etc.

One of the key areas that we emphasize is early identification and early intervention.

During the identification process, screening is conducted, followed by a medical, functional, or educational assessment. For children aged 4 years, appropriate placement is determined based on the type, severity, and specific requirements of their disability, leading to their enrollment in school. Once enrolled, they progress through various stages according to the tailored learning approach provided for them.

It is during the assessment that the County health department categorize the disability type, and the information acquire, facilitates the child’s registration by the National Council for Persons with Disabilities (NCPWD)
EARC

Please learn more about this on our YouTube channel👇

For inclusive education to thrive, it is essential to prioritize teacher development in play-based learning. Early learners grasp concepts more effectively t...

19/03/2025

CDSK'S WESTERN POs MEETING.

Through the Multi Annual Programme Plan (MAPP) Project, CDSK is conducting a review and planning meeting with 18 representatives from our western based partner Organizations (POs).

The three-day meeting aims to discuss the 2024 achievements, gaps and recommendations, CDSK 2025 strategic direction, verification of project data, review of AKVO real time reports and an overview of 2025 plans majoring on the implementation methodologies and target plans for the 2025.

During the review of the project data, it was noted that it is critical for partners to ensure accurate and thoroughly verified data during reporting. Adhering strictly to the guidelines and protocols outlined within the data tools for it not only enhances a more precise assessment of the project's progress but also serves as a foundation for making well-informed decisions that shape the future direction and strategic trajectory of the project.

The workshop anticipates enhancing data entry knowledge among the POs as well as ensuring that the participants are able to correctly report at outcome level on the AKVO reporting platform and also able to plan and implement effectively their respective 2025 plans.

18/03/2025

WESTERN PARTNER ORGANIZATION MANAGEMENT MEETING
CDSK through the Multi Annual Programme Plan (MAPP) project, held a Partner Organization (PO) Management/staff Meeting in Kisumu. The meeting targeted POs within the western region.

The one-day meeting focused on evaluating the achievements, challenges, gaps, lessons learned, and recommendations from the 2024 implementation. It also aimed to discuss CDSK’s 2025 trajectory and strategies and how well to support PO staff in the project's implementation.

What stood out was the key role played by POs in the implementation of the MAPP project as they directly interact with communities.

In fostering the principles of building effective networks and achieving the objectives of the MAPP project, CDSK commits to support its partner organizations in planning, implementation, and reporting processes. In seeing the project's goal of, transforming and improving the lives of children and youth with disabilities, as well as their caregivers, fully realized

18/03/2025

How do we create awareness for cerebral palsy?

•Encourage people to learn more and understand about cerebral palsy (CP)

•Take your knowledge of CP a step further by educating others. Sensitize and advocate for improving the life prospects of persons with CP, as much as putting on green T-shirts as the main color for CP awareness.

•Support Local CP Events and Spread the Word by Wearing Green.

•Help advocate for more accessibility accommodations in public spaces so people with cerebral palsy have more freedom.

•Advocate for policy change and research on cerebral palsy as well as donating to research organizations.

•Promote inclusion of those with cerebral palsy
•Create awareness and change perceptions
•Check your local area for any events going on for Cerebral Palsy Awareness Month and Day.

•Attend the events and invite your friends. Going to these events helps boost awareness and gives you a chance to meet and interact with persons with cerebral palsy.

17/03/2025

Under the auspices of Inclusive Early childhood Development and Education (IECD&E) project, CDSK in partnership with State Department of Policy, Partnerships and East African Community Affairs, Kisumu County Department of Education, last week conducted monitoring visit in Kisumu, Kakamega and Siaya Counties.

Spearheaded by our CEO, Mrs. Cecilia Mutava, the exercise aimed at extracting positive learnings in actualizing inclusive education practices.

Drawn from various ministries, the delegation consisted of Directors from the EARCs, ECD both County and National level, TSC Commission, County Director of Education and CDSK, ICDE focal points.

It was noted that impressive outcomes have been realized by the IECD&E project; which are geared towards enhancing accessible and quality education for all learners at different levels.

The project has demonstrated remarkable achievements, in Teacher development, creating awareness and demystifying disability matters, rehabilitation services, and integrating play-based pedagogy as foundation for early learning. All these interventions gear towards reducing barriers, which have been major hindrances in actualizing the objectives within SDG 4, quality education.

These were the key take aways; The institutions which have embraced a seamless working relationship between different stakeholders and different levels (National and County levels) in the education sectors have improved the enrolment rates, and significantly increased the transition rates, as pointed out by the Heads of Institutions visited and during the focus group discussions.

Integrating play into learning by doing, talking walls, installing play types of equipment, has created a conducive and fun learning environment for early year learners.

The team gained valuable insights into how IECD&E has achieved significant improvements in the child's care ecosystems and increased enrolment of children with disability in the regular schools, while on small scale, the project has started the home-based learning programs for the children with severe disabilities.

The visit marks an important step towards facilitating the renewal of the authorization by the Ministry of Education to enable CDSK to continue supporting children with disabilities in schools.

All children have a right to quality education regardless of their individual needs.

14/03/2025

Our greatest satisfaction comes from witnessing the transformative impact of our initiatives, not only on our primary targets but also on their families and the wider community.

Pauline and Milka, caregivers have gained valuable skills in crafting handmade sanitary towels and diapers, thereby alleviating the financial pressures they face as parents of girls with disabilities.

Please click the link to read our latest on how our various initiatives through the Make Way Programme, changing lives 👇

Much appreciation to the incredible work done by our partner organization Afya Research Africa in spearheading the initiatives within our Safe Spaces in Nairobi County.

https://cheshiredisabilityservices.org/?p=4203

12/03/2025

Persons with disabilities constitute a significant stakeholder group that should have a place and voice at the table of policy, health and any other matters of development concern. Now is the time for action concerning sexual and reproductive health of persons with disabilities.

Join us as we break barriers to ensure inclusive and accessible SRH services for persons with disabilities It is important to assure that sexual and reproductive health services are friendly to persons with disabilities
SRHR Advocacy

12/03/2025

March is recognized as Cerebral Palsy Awareness Month. It is a time to increase awareness and understanding of this condition.

While on 25th March is Cerebral Palsy awareness Day as more advocacy for policy change and research is needed.

Did you know that cerebral palsy is a physical disability that affects a person's ability to move? It's a complex condition that can result in a range of physical disabilities, from mild to severe.

However, with the right treatments and therapies, people with cerebral palsy can manage their symptoms and improve their quality of life.

While there is no cure for cerebral palsy, it's important to know that there is hope for those affected by this condition.
Cerebral palsy affects people in different ways and can affect body movement, muscle control, muscle coordination, muscle tone, reflexes, posture, and balance.

This is what one should learn about various types of cerebral palsy

10/03/2025

CDSK, through the Make Way Programme, actively participated in the International Women’s Day celebrations held in Homabay, Kenya. The event was organized by the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection, through the State Department of Gender and Affirmative Action, in collaboration with CSOs and the County Government of Homabay.

The occasion was marked by vibrant celebrations as attendees enjoyed inspiring performances by the youth and impactful speeches from women leaders. Key discussions emphasized the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, commemorating its 30th anniversary, with a focus on its 12 critical areas for advancing the rights of women and girls.

Leaders also underscored the importance of empowering women through education, health access, and addressing challenges facing the youth, including the triple threat, while advocating for the safeguarding of women's rights.

Women leadership and establishing women led initiatives in advocating for women’s rights was also emphasized as the government officials call for an increment of women elective positions from at least seven to 26 and many more.

CDSK was honored to host exhibition booths, showcasing products from our initiatives and fostering valuable exchanges of ideas and best practices with participating partners.

SRHR Advocacy 2025