Matumaini Centre
Highlights

Started in 1974 by Ruth Scott Kelly. Initial aim was to provide medical care and schooling for disabled children.

Centre now includes:
- hostle
- medical clinic
- nursery school
- special needs unit
- physiotherapy unit
- vocational training

Where We Work - Kenya

Matumaini Centre (Kiswahili for Hope) is situated in rural Kenya some 10km's from Molo Town. The centre was started in 1974 by Ruth Scott Kelly with the aim of providing medical care and schooling for disabled children. The centre now includes a hostel, clinic, nursery school, special unit, physiotherapy unit, and vocational training centre.

"The aim of Matumaini is to integrate children with disabilities into the community as far as possible thus providing them with a sense of self-worth and dignity."

Hostel

Children ages 5 to 15 that are physically disabled or have learning difficulties stay at the hostel during term time and go to the local primary school for their education. The hostel has recently employed a fully qualified physiotherapist to provide on-site treatment and assistance to the children.

Dispensary

There is a small clinic and dispensary on site with a fully qualified community nurse and an assistant nurse. The clinic provides immediate treatment to children at the hostel and training centre and also provides a service to the local community. As the nearest hospital is many miles the centre would like to extend the clinic to provide in-patient facilities, particularly for maternity care.

Training Centre

Matumaini Youth Training Centre offers vocational training to physically disabled young people and young people with learning difficulties. The students are trained to Kenya Trade standards in tailoring, woodwork and metalwork. Other courses include computing and knitting.

The training centre aims to be self sufficient, and such things as desks, uniforms and windows are manufactured by the students. They also produce items for sale to the general public. All funds raised from the sale of products are put back into the centre.

Meet Rose

Rose was born in 1977 mentally disabled. In Kenya there is no social security and a lack of understanding of coping with a disability. So Rose as many like her was abandoned by a family that couldn't cope.

Rose spent the next five years of her childhood locked in a mixed prison cell with young offenders; her only crime was to be born disabled. Rose was referred to Matumaini by a court order. When she arrived she was curled up in a ball and could not communicate. Roses first medical check up revealed the horrific physical and sexual abuse she had been subjected to in prison.

Only months later Rose is unrecognisable from the girl rescued from prison, she is walking, talking and best of all smiling.

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Meet Moses

Moses is a delightful child who wears a constant smile. He was born with Cerebral Palsy and therefore has poor muscle control of his limbs.

Despite this he has learnt to write with his foot and is currently fourth in his class. During term time he lives at the centre, without the support of Matumaini he would be sitting at home unable to fulfil his potential.

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Meet Maureen

Maureen has been at Matumaini Rehabilitation Centre for three years. She came to Matumaini after being orphaned following the deatho f her mother in 2005. Her father died in 1997.

In her spare time, Maureen likes playing volleyball, cooking and singing. In the future she would like to be a Guidance Counsellor. To do this Maureen needs a Secondary School education to be able to go on to university to do the required training. She is hoping to start secondary school at the beginning of 2008.

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Meet Mike

Mike came to Matumaini in 1998 when he was 5 years old. Mike was born with Scoliosis, a deformity of the spine. His disability, however, doesn't hinder Mike from doing the things he likes. At Matumaini Mike joined the nursery school and completed his primary education.

He is a very clever boy and hoping to begin his secondary school education in 2008. At school his favourite subjects are Science and Math. He would like to be a newspaper editor when he has finished his education. In his spare time, Mike likes to read story books and play football with his friends.

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Meet Eunice

Eunice came to Matumaini in 2000. Her mother is a single parent and tries to make a living by selling fruit and vegetables at the local market but has difficulty paying for basics like food and rent each month.

Eunice, the youngest of three children, was born with one leg. She had surgery in 2004 and now walks very well using the false leg. Eunice also has two fingers missing on her right hand and one on her left hand.

At school, Eunice enjoys learning Science and English. With the support of a scholarship, Eunice is hoping to start her secondary school education in 2008. After finishing her education, Eunice would like to become a nurse.

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