The Struggle of a Nyeri Mother Raising Three Children Living With Disabilities

By James Murimi - Reporter

Kenya, 6 January 2026 - In the quiet hills of Ruruguti village in Othaya Constituency, Nyeri County, Jane Wanjiku’s day begins before sunrise and ends long after dusk.

For the single mother, every hour is shaped by the needs of her three children living with disabilities – a responsibility that leaves little room for rest, income or certainty about tomorrow.

Wanjiku is the sole caregiver to 21-year-old Benedict Wambugu, a 13-year-old girl and a 12-year-old girl.

All three are physically disabled, while two of them also have intellectual disabilities and are currently enrolled at Allomano Special School for the Mentally Handicapp in neighbouring Tetu Constituency. Her youngest child, however, remains at home – physically disabled, unable to walk independently, and yet to secure a place in a suitable special school.

“I am appealing to well-wishers to intervene and help me secure a school for my last-born,” Wanjiku says, seated beside her daughter’s wheelchair inside their modest home. “She cannot walk by herself, and I have to be with her all the time.”

The house they live in was donated by a well-wisher, an act of kindness that offered temporary relief but not a lasting solution to the deeper challenges she faces daily.

Caring for her youngest child consumes most of her day, making it nearly impossible to seek even casual employment.

“I am unable to search for menial jobs because of the tedious daily tasks I have looking after her,” she explains. “I spend many hours carrying her on the wheelchair, ensuring she is fed and kept clean.”

Survival, for now, depends largely on the goodwill of neighbours. Members of the surrounding community occasionally share foodstuffs, helping the family put meals on the table. Still, the uncertainty weighs heavily.

Beyond her personal struggle, Wanjiku believes her experience reflects the silent burden carried by many parents raising children with disabilities across the country.

She is calling on the government to strengthen targeted support for such families.

“I am appealing to the government to intervene and offer support to parents bringing up children with disabilities,” she says. “Some of these children are yearning for education, while others need critical care.”

She specifically urges reforms to empowerment programmes such as Inua Jamii, calling for transparent and fair criteria that prioritize parents caring for children with disabilities.

“These children look up to their parents, but without support, it becomes overwhelming,” she adds.

Her story recently drew the attention of the Kind Hearts Network, a youth-led community group based in Othaya Constituency.

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The group’s founder and chairperson, Kelvin Ndung’u, says they visited Wanjiku after receiving reports of her struggles.

“We have been traversing many parts of this county, extending a helping hand to less-privileged members of society,” Ndung’u says. “Our visit here is mainly to help this woman raise her children with dignity.”

The group is appealing to other well-wishers to assist in securing a suitable special school for Wanjiku’s youngest daughter and to help raise funds for school fees for the two children already enrolled.

“We will be glad to join hands with other kind-hearted Kenyans to help this family live a decent life,” Ndung’u says. “Our aim is to support this woman so she can work and fend for her family.”

Wanjiku’s plight echoes a broader national conversation on disability inclusion.

Recently, Government Spokesperson Dr Isaac Mwaura called for stronger integration of persons with disabilities, warning that sidelining them undermines Kenya’s social and economic progress.

Speaking during the International Day for Persons with Disabilities at the Kenya Society for the Blind in Nairobi, Dr Mwaura said the country cannot advance while sections of its population remain excluded.

“Every time we suppress the contribution of people with disabilities, we hinder humanity’s progress,” he said. “When everyone makes their contribution, we reduce the burden of care and strengthen our communities.”

He emphasised that access to education, employment and support services is essential in enabling persons with disabilities to live independently and contribute meaningfully to society.

“When you keep us locked up in homes, unable to advance in education, we make a mockery of human advancement,” Dr Mwaura added.

For Wanjiku, those words resonate deeply – not as policy language, but as a daily reality lived through sacrifice, resilience and hope that one day, her children will have the support they deserve.