Migori County has provided significant relief to fifty children living with disabilities by donating assistive devices valued at Sh1.5 million. The initiative, spearheaded by the devolved unit, includes paediatric wheelchairs and crutches, aimed at enhancing the mobility of these children and enabling them to access fundamental rights, including education and healthcare.

Lilian Okomo, the Director of Gender, Inclusivity, Culture and Social Services in Migori County, emphasized the critical importance of these devices. She highlighted that many children with disabilities are often kept hidden at home, suffering due to lack of mobility. Ms. Okomo further explained that the donated wheelchairs are specially designed to adapt to various types of disabilities, ensuring maximum comfort and support for the child. “They are not just wheelchairs, but are special wheelchairs that are formed in a way that suits the disability of the child. If the child cannot sit, it is fixed in a way that he or she can sit comfortably in it,” she noted, underscoring the customized nature of the aid.

The department procured 50 wheelchairs and 50 crutches after research indicated a significant unmet need for such devices among children in the county, unlike adults who had received support from other partners over the years. Despite the current donation, Ms. Okomo mentioned that the county had received over 100 applications for assistive devices, indicating a larger demand that still needs to be addressed and bridged through further procurements.

Parents of the beneficiary children expressed profound gratitude for the donation, explaining that they could not afford to purchase such expensive devices on their own. Nancy Akoth, a single mother whose son is unable to walk or stand, shared her long struggle to secure a wheelchair, stating, “I am so happy that we have been given what we have been longing for. His mobility was hindered because of a lack of a wheelchair.” Similarly, Jacinta Akinyi recounted how her son’s disability developed at age 11, leaving him unable to walk or control basic bodily functions, further illustrating the severe challenges faced by these families and the transformative impact of the donated aids.