Support special needs children, First Lady tells corporates

First Lady Margaret Kenyatta on Friday urged corporates and other well-wishers to join hands and support children with special needs.

Speaking at State House Nairobi, Mrs. Kenyatta said the number of children with special needs in the country was increasing and there was need to cater for this group of individuals.

She said it was essential to create awareness of the plight of children with special needs especially to teachers and parents.

The First Lady said lack of knowledge and required tools had increased difficulties faced by teachers and parents who handle children suffering from autism, cerebral palsy, downs syndrome and other disabilities.

“I will do my best to bring on board various stakeholders to address this issue,” said the First Lady.

She made her remarks in the company of Eva Naputuni Nyoike of Acorn Special Tutorials, ZTE Corporation Chief Executive Officer Mr. Qiao Liang and the Airtel Networks Board.

During the meeting, Eva Naputuni Nyoike of Acorn Special Tutorials presented the First Lady with a book she has authored on how teachers and parents could identify and guide children with special needs.

The First Lady commended her for spearheading efforts in developing materials and tools to help children with special needs, saying it was important for more Kenyans to come up with more innovative ways of creating a better environment for those children to grow.

Acorn Special Tutorials has been supporting children with special needs for the last 26 years. They currently offer tailor made courses for schools with an emphasis on inclusive learning and vocational training to adults with special needs.

Led by their Africa CEO, Christian De Faria, Airtel team presented a fully kitted mobile clinic worth Ksh10 million to the First Lady. On Friday 6^th November 2015, the First Lady will deliver the 33^rd fully equipped mobile clinic to Mandera County.

The ZTE Corporation Chief Executive Mr. Liang said his company, which is one of the leading global providers of telecommunications equipment and network solutions, would support the First Lady in her initiative to improve lives of women and children.

Mr. Liang said ZTE will be one of the sponsors of the 3rd edition of the First Lady’s Half Marathon in 2016. He also pointed out that the corporation would partner with the First Lady in providing education tools to children with special needs through its Smart Education Solution tools.

On his part, Airtel Kenya CEO Adil El Youssefi said his company will continue partnering with the First Lady in her Beyond Zero initiative to ensure that Kenyan women and children get the best in healthcare and education.

He said his company would continue to actively participate in the First Lady’s Half Marathon, adding that the company’s female workers had formed what they call “Airtel Divas” which is a women’s forum to support the First Lady’s initiative.

Youssefi affirmed that Airtel supports the Government’s digital vision by providing free internet to 120,000 students in over 150 schools countrywide. The announced teleco plans to reach one million students across the country in the next 18 months.

Later, the First Lady met with the Committee organising the hosting of the 10^th Edition of the IAAF World Youth Athletics Championship 2017.

The First Lady, who is the patron of the games, was briefed on the preparations and the budgetary plans of the event. The Committee said the hosting of the games in the country would boost and strengthen Kenya’s economy owing to influx of visitors from over 150 countries.