Marie Omare’s journey as a nutritionist volunteering at Special Olympics Kenya sparked her dedication to improving the lives of people with disabilities, particularly in underserved communities. Observing the struggles individuals with disabilities face in accessing essential healthcare and walking aids led her to establish the Kibra Slum Action Foundation. This organization focuses on providing vital services to children, girls, and women with special needs, especially those in the Kibera and Mathare slums.
The foundation’s innovative project, Recycle to Transform, aims to further support people with special needs by using Appropriate Paper-based Technology (APT). By reusing cardboard, the foundation creates functional, comfortable devices like chairs to help children with disabilities who are part of their programs.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), over 1 billion people globally live with some form of disability, representing 15% of the world’s population. This includes approximately 190 million people aged 15 and older who face significant difficulties in functioning and often require specialized healthcare services.
“The experience while working with parents having children with disability and those with intellectual disability got me to understand the realities of their lives and challenges in accessing quality care. There were a lot of gaps identifiable including lack of qualified personnel, lack of parental involvement, access to artistic devices like wheelchair and standing aid among others,” said Omare, the founder and director of the organization.
The Foundation focuses on four pillars, as Wanjiru Mbugua, the program coordinator, explains: “The three pillars on which the foundation runs include Somesha, Tunza, and Ibuka,” she said. “Tunza, which is the anchor program, serves to promote the health and well-being of children with special needs. The free physiotherapy and medical services offered by the foundation, as well as Recycle to Transform, run through Tunza,” she explained.
Somesha, the next pillar, is focused on promoting inclusive education for children. The foundation collaborates with various schools to ensure children with special needs have access to education. The final pillar, Ibuka, is dedicated to promoting the dignity of women and children. Through this pillar, the foundation educates women and girls about their rights, gender-based violence, and leadership.
The newly launched project, Recycle to Transform, not only provides standing and sitting aids for the children but also serves as an income-generating activity for the parents and guardians of the children.
But how does one reuse cardboard to make seats?
To oversee the creation of the chairs is Kevin Kimani, along with other volunteers at the hub, some working full-time and others part-time in the workshop.
“Each chair made is tailored to each child’s needs. During therapy sessions, the doctor identifies a child with the most urgent need for the device and outlines how the modification of the chair should be made,” said Kevin. Once the report is made, the process of creating the device begins, with Kevin taking measurements of the child and designing the chair based on those specifications.
“Different children have different needs, so to start making any device, I need to get the specifications from the doctor to create the best design for that specific child,” he explained.
“After that, my role is to begin production using corrugated cardboard,” he added.
He chooses corrugated cardboard for its durability compared to other types of cardboard. A mixture of wheat flour and warm water is used as glue to bind the cardboard together and achieve the desired thickness before starting the cutouts.
“Wheat flour is inexpensive and, unlike commercial glue, it’s not a health hazard. The cardboard is compiled to make it durable and resistant to wear and tear,” he said.
Once the stacked cardboard has dried, the various parts of the device are cut.
“We use the measurements to cut the cardboard into different parts of the chair and then begin assembling them accordingly. The process takes time because even after assembly, the work is not finished. To complete the chair, we coat the structure with a softer type of cardboard, the kind found in packed braids. This makes the chair more comfortable and prevents it from being too stiff, which could be dangerous for the child,” Kevin explained.
“The final step is painting the chair, making it as beautiful as the child who will use it,” he concluded.
The hub also functions as a library for students, not only those in the program but also from the surrounding area, as part of the Somesha pillar.
However, the journey to implement the project has not been without challenges. The foundation has faced—and continues to face—several obstacles in fully realizing the project.
“Although the project officially began in October 2020, the plan to start it was conceived earlier, in 2017. We were unable to proceed at that time due to a lack of experience and funds, among other setbacks. In March 2018, I had the opportunity to send two of our staff members to Metropolitan Sanctuary in Nyeri for a workshop on APT. After attending the workshop, they returned and trained our other team members, allowing us to officially begin constructing the workshop. However, the process was delayed due to the COVID-19 outbreak,” said Maria.
“The project is labor-intensive and requires many people to help in the workshop. Currently, there are three personnel in the workshop—one working full-time, and the other two working part-time as volunteers,” added Wanjiru.
A further challenge is the cost of purchasing raw materials, such as the cardboard used for braids. “Although most salons dispose of the cardboard as trash, we collect it and repurpose it,” Kimani explained.
Despite the challenges faced along the way, the determination and resourcefulness of the team—along with the continued support of the community—are driving this important initiative forward. With continued growth, is set to benefit over 700 children with special needs living in four informal settlements—Mukuru, Kawangware, Mathare, and Kibra—by providing them with these devices free of charge.
