Breaking Barriers, Building Hope, Finding Community.

At Naijipu Oasis of Hope, we work alongside some of the most vulnerable children in

Samburu County—children living with cerebral palsy, autism, severe learning disabilities, and other complex developmental conditions. Yet our work is equally about the women who care for them: the mothers, grandmothers, and family members whose love and resilience sustain these children every day.

For many families, disability is only one of the challenges they face. Poverty, limited access to healthcare, vast travelling distances, and a lack of specialist services make everyday life difficult. Many caregivers spend years carrying the physical, emotional, and financial burden of caring for a child with complex needs, often with little support and limited understanding from those around them.

In some communities, disability continues to be misunderstood. Families can face stigma and isolation, with harmful beliefs suggesting that disability is caused by curses, witchcraft, or wrongdoing. These misconceptions not only affect the child but can leave mothers and grandmothers feeling excluded, blamed, and alone. This is why caregiver support is at the heart of our work.

Thanks to the generosity of trusts and supporters, including the Kitchen Table Charitable Trust, Naijipu Oasis of Hope in collaboration with Bethany Kids has been able to provide specialist caregiver training and community-based support to families caring for children with developmental disabilities. Over the course of this year, we are reaching 68 families through a programme of training, home visits, mentoring, and practical support including assistive devices such as wheelchairs, standing frames and mobility aids.

The training equips caregivers with practical skills they can use immediately in their daily lives. Families learn about developmental disabilities, positioning and feeding techniques, communication, play, and ways to support their children’s development and wellbeing. Just as importantly, caregivers are given space to talk about their own experiences, grief, and emotional wellbeing.

The impact has been profound.

Caregivers have reported greater confidence in caring for their children, a better understanding of disability, and new hope for the future. During practical sessions, families not only learned from the trainers but also from one another, sharing experiences and encouraging each other. What began as training has grown into something much deeper—a network of support and friendship among families who previously felt isolated.

Our community health workers continue to visit families in their homes, travelling across challenging terrain to reach remote communities. These visits provide ongoing guidance, encouragement, and practical support. Increasingly, families are implementing what they have learned, helping their children participate more fully in family and community life.

One of the most encouraging outcomes has been the growth of parent support groups through the Baby Ubuntu mentoring programme. Caregivers have told us that they no longer feel alone. Some have begun identifying other families with children who have disabilities—children who may have been hidden from view because of stigma or lack of support—and are encouraging them to seek help. The first caregiver group has registered with the government and is exploring opportunities to establish a small business together, creating both social connection and economic opportunity. We have also seen tangible improvements in children’s lives. Families are using better positioning techniques, children are accessing assistive devices, and some children who previously had limited mobility are now making remarkable developmental progress. Behind every milestone is a caregiver who has gained the confidence, knowledge, and support needed to help their child thrive.

At Naijipu Oasis of Hope, we believe lasting change happens when families are empowered. By standing alongside children with disabilities and the women who care for them, we are helping to build communities where disability is understood rather than feared, where caregivers are valued rather than isolated, and where every child is recognised for their dignity, potential, and worth.

We are deeply grateful to Accomplish Children’s Trust and all our supporters who make this work possible. Together, we are not only changing the lives of children with disabilities—we

are strengthening families, empowering caregivers, and creating hope for generations to come.

If you would like more information please visit our website.