Supporting disabled children through and beyond the Coronavirus outbreak

COVID-19 pandemic has hit Africa not only as a health crisis but also as a devastating socio-economic crisis that may persist over the months and years to come.

Although children do not represent a high-risk group for direct COVID-19 fatality, the pandemic posts far-reaching secondary impacts that heighten risks to African children’s rights and wellbeing. In fact, the COVID-19 pandemic has been jeopardizing children formal learning, health and safety/protection, striking particularly on children with disabilities.

The pandemic has been exacerbating their existing vulnerabilities, from access to treatment to education and adequate nutrition. The limited access to health and alternative education system has had a catastrophic impact on the most vulnerable threatening to reverse their developmental progress, coupled with the reduction/loss of their caregivers’ household income.

Children with disabilities enrolled  in the Watoto Ciao programme have also been very much affected, staying locked in their homes for fear of contracting the virus across the 2020-2021 years period. Several of their families contracted Covid-19 and some lost family members.

In response, Watoto Ciao recognised and integrated in a specific action plan the needs of 80 children with disabilities and their caregivers residing in the suburbs of the capital Nairobi, on the border between Nairobi and Kiambu Counties in the Lower Kabete area.

The plan has been driven by the “best interests of the child”, in line with the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the child, through the implementation of a dedicated one-year project (June 2021-July 2022) called “Supporting disabled children through and beyond the Coronavirus outbreak”. The project has targeted children with disabilities’ rights by guaranteeing safe access to quality health, education and care services.

In particular, it has implemented actions to address the following challenges raised in 2020:

         Severe health risks by CWDs lacking proper COVID-19 protection, e.g. face masks, sanitizers and clean running water

         Severe regression from achieved milestones due to therapy disruption in 2020

         Lockdowns and self-isolation which reduced therapy and socializing, further increasing their exclusion and discrimination

         Massive stress due to uncertainty, isolation and distancing

The project has empowered a disadvantaged group of 80 CWDs to reduce the COVID-19 exposure and overcome its devastating effects by increasing their access to safe services up to 80% with respect to the services provision collapse experienced in 2020.

In particular, through the project, children have been provided with:

• dedicated home-based therapy through occupational therapists reaching them out at their homes, rather than exposing them to COVID-19 risks by travelling to the clinics
• Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) kits containing children’s facemasks, soap and sanitizers. Also special education teachers operating at King’eero, Nyathuna, Cura and Gicharani Primary schools special units received kits including protective googles, face shields and thermometers. The special units as well received education packs including items to train children in WASH and COVD-19
• hand washing dispensers, such as plastic water tanks (20 ltrs>) to facilitate domestic hygiene and sanitation
• education packs to four special units including items to train children in WASH and COVD-19 prevention, such as tissue toilet paper, cleaning brooms, mops, brushes, toothbrushes, buckets and washing detergent.
• financial empowerment to few needy female caregivers by promoting micro-enterprise startups to build economic resilience to support their children’s health care.
• Orthopaedic equipment fabricated by project staff: e.g. plaster bandage used to correct clubfoots or fractures, back slabs to support legs, or medial wedges for medial inversion of the feet.

The following data and qualitative assessment make reference to the projeject main goal:

Empowering a disadvantaged group of 80 Children with Disabilities (CWDs) to reduce exposure to COVID-19 spread and overcome its impact on their health, well-being, and social inclusion
More than 100% of target CWDs achieved:

COVID-19 prevention

• N.80 CWDs received N.2 Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) kit each: face-masks,  gloves sanitizer

• N.80 caregivers’ families received one hand-washing water tank (20 L)
• N.8 water tanks (1000 L) were placed in 5 schools (King’eero, Nyathuna, Cura, Kahuho, Gicharani primary) and in 3 homes
• N.8 hand-washing stations were set up in schools with special units for children with disabilities

2. Improved health, well-being, education and social inclusion:

• N.115 CWDs attending clinics received an overall of N.2715 therapy sessions with a 357,8% increase (N.593 in 2020).
• New CWDs registered in the program increased from N.39 in 2020 to N.105, that’s 169, 2%. All could come out of isolation receiving support (e.g. assessment, referral, treatment, school inclusion)
• N.47 CWDs attended special school units: more than100% of target 45
• CWDs caregivers, School teachers, community leaders and volunteers’ training on WASH
• N.90  orthopedic devices fabricated: overall 429,4% increase (N.17 in 2020)

• A 105,8% increase in home visits: overall N.457 (N.222 in 2020)