Some of the beneficiaries of the Assistive Technology programme who received the wheelchairs (in yellow Brian Mugendi)/Bournventure M’maitsi
Bethany Kids, under its assistive technology programme, distributed wheelchairs to people living with Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus (SBH) in Trans Nzoia County on October 25, 2025, as the world observed SBH Day.
The programme led by Zamalek Omondi, Assistant Technology Clinical Lead, says that they go around the country, doing assembly and fitting of wheelchairs to help families by allowing the mothers and caregivers to go to work and perform daily activities.
He explained that providing mobility aids helps reduce the high cost of raising a child with special needs, including medical care and transportation expenses.
During the event, the team conducted 97 wheelchair assessments but could only distribute 60 wheelchairs due to limited resources, time constraints, and the need for customised pediatric wheelchairs.
Omondi said they prioritised the first 60 beneficiaries based on feasibility within the three days to maintain quality. Also, the team only had two types of wheelchairs available after a similar project in Kisumu.
“We plan to come back and ensure all 97 get wheelchairs early next year,” Omondi said.
A 2021 study by AT2030 (wheelchair services) assessment for Kenya estimated 100,000 people needing a wheelchair annually, but only about 5,000 units are provided each year, indicating 95 per cent unmet need.
Chairs customised to each individual’s needs
Omondi explained that in BethanyKids, every wheelchair is assigned to a specific person after an individual assessment to understand each person’s condition and determine the correct size and type of wheelchair.
He said the 60 wheelchairs distributed in Trans Nzoia were already matched to individuals based on these assessments.
He explained that adult wheelchairs are often basic since most adults can sit upright, but paediatric wheelchairs, he says, are intermediate and require adjustments.
“Most children cannot sit upright without support, so we add harnesses across the chest, side guards, and lateral supports,” he explained.
He noted that it takes longer to modify paediatric chairs, which is why the process is more time-intensive.
“On Wednesday and Thursday, we worked on modifications for basic chairs, adjusting them to fit users who can’t sit upright,” he added.
BethanyKids helped her own her first wheelchair at 24
Esther Wamaitha, from Eldoret, is one of the beneficiaries of the wheelchairs donated by BethanyKids. For her, it was a great day filled with joy and appreciation, as it was the first time in 24 years that she owned a wheelchair.
“I am excited and super grateful to the BethanyKids for giving me my first wheelchair. It is a dream come true after 24 years of patient waiting,” she said.
Speaking to her mother, who had accompanied her, she shared that her daughter, who is her firstborn born was born with spina bifida caused by a lack of folic acid during the pregnancy. Due to limited information, the condition worsened at a tender age, thus, unable to use her legs.
Wamaitha says most of the time she would stay at home when no one was around to help her move or crawl for a shorter distance.
During her school days, she used to share a wheelchair with one of her neighbours who also had a disability, but unfortunately, the neighbour passed away, and the family sold the wheelchair.
“Ever since, I have been dependent on my family members, who have been very supportive in helping me move around,” she said.
“Today, that ends as I will be able to move on my own using my wheelchair.”
She added that the chair is comfortable and offers proper back support, saying it will run the mat-making business she recently started, with her mother assisting in sales.
An upgraded wheelchair
Another beneficiary, Brian Mugendi from Kibomet in Kitale, shared his story about how he became unable to walk.
Mugendi was born healthy, but before the age of ten, doctors discovered he had haemophilia, which was detected late when damage had already occurred.
This condition took away his ability to walk. Since then, he exclaimed that it remains his worst day of his life. He ended up shutting the outside world out for two years.
“For two years, I never left my house: I dropped out of school, ignored my friends and some family members, and lost the will to live,” he shared.
His parents kept talking to him about his situation, and eventually, he decided to accept his condition and move on with life.
“I agreed and went back to school in class five. Now I am awaiting to join campus next year to pursue my dream course of Software Engineering,” he said.
He noted that the new wheelchair came just in time as the old one was worn out and faulty, adding that the new one suits his needs and will help him with smooth movement at campus and even at home.
“I extend my gratitude to the BethanyKids and its partners for this initiative they brought to us in Kitale. I just request them to bring more wheelchairs, as many people are still in need,” he noted.
Dorine says it is more than a wheelchair
Dorine Nakinai from Bungoma County travelled all the way to Bungoma County on October 22, 2025, for a training session for parents and caregivers for individuals living with SBH, organised by BethanyKids in collaboration with NeuroKids.
After the training, participants were informed about the wheelchair donations and asked to register, and her 15-year-old was among the beneficiaries.
Nakinai discovered that her child had hydrocephalus while she was seven months pregnant, and through seeking help, managed to get medical support.
“While giving birth, neurosurgeons and paediatricians were present, assessed my child, and a week later conducted a surgery to install a shunt, which really helped her before doing the new Endoscopic Third Ventriculostomy with Choroid Plexus Cauterization (ETV/CPC) surgery,” she shared.
She noted that raising her child was never a walk in the park, saying that people associated the condition with a curse.
She was looked down upon and had to work extra hard as the child required regular medical care.
Now, her child’s condition has been stabilised, although it has affected her ability to walk.
Nakinai urges all women of childbearing age not to neglect prenatal check-ups, saying her child’s condition was caused by missing clinic visits during the first trimester.
For the caregivers and parents of children living with SBH, she encouraged them to keep pushing without fear of judgment while also ensuring that their children are educated and live normal lives for a promising future.
“I thank BethanyKids for the continued support. My child has received a wheelchair that is well modified to support both the back and the head,” she noted.
“This is more than a wheelchair donation. May you continue giving hope to people living with disabilities.”
Defining success through families’ relief
Omondi said success for them is measured by the relief the wheelchairs bring to families.
“One wheelchair can help more than three people resume their duties. You find there is a mother with three children living with disabilities who cannot work or even perform household chores because her children need constant attention,” he said.
He explained that most mothers caring for children with disabilities often leave their jobs because house helpers cannot manage the level of care needed.
Raising such a child, he added, is costly as it requires medical care, special nutrition, and daily essentials like diapers.
Omondi said mobility also reduces the financial strain of transportation, adding that it also allows mothers to earn a living and provide for their families.
He noted that most children with disabilities fall ill more often, requiring regular medical care, which makes mobility support even more important.
Challenges in providing wheelchairs
Omondi said the biggest challenge is the limited range of pediatric wheelchairs available in Kenya.
He explained that wheelchair assembly takes time, and the team lacked enough time during the Trans Nzoia mission to complete all fittings.
“The main limitation is in the types of wheelchairs we receive in this country, especially pediatric ones. It is not an area that has received enough investment,” he said.
He added that the best way to support users would be to have a wider selection of chairs since each wheelchair has unique features suitable for different needs.
At present, he said, they had a limited number of only two pediatric wheelchair models in stock.
Omondi added that the shortage forces them to modify existing chairs, which delays distribution and can worsen deformities during the waiting period.
He called for more investment in wheelchair production to give both service providers and users greater choice.
He compared Kenya’s situation with developed countries, where families can access multiple therapy sessions per week to prevent deformities. “Our mothers cannot afford frequent therapy, so their children’s conditions are more complex,” he said.
Future Plans to build local solutions
BethanyKids Country Director David Ng’ang’a said the organisation plans to address these challenges through innovation.
“We have an assistive technology programme where we provide wheelchairs as per World Health Organisation guidelines,” Ng’ang’a said.
He revealed that BethanyKids is working on a project to make wheelchairs out of bamboo in Kijabe.
“It’s still in early stages, but it could reduce costs and give us more options,” he said.
Ng’ang’a noted that most wheelchair producers in Kenya have not evolved their designs despite years of user feedback.
According to data from the Ministry of Health (MOH), less than 1 per cent of the disabled could access the assistive devices, including wheelchairs, hearing aids, and crutches, among others.
“There are local producers who’ve been making the same type of chair for decades without improvements,” he said. “We need to listen more to users and therapists to know what to change.”
He added that BethanyKids Kenya has distributed around 1,200 wheelchairs across various counties this year, with many faulty ones being re-fitted.
