“Do not confine children with disabilities behind closed doors."

In the context of the activities of the Orione Centre, OCTC, our confrere Fr Alex had an audience with Her Excellency the First Lady of Kenya yesterday Tuesday 08th October 2013. Father Alex was with Mr James Ng'ang'a of Uchumi who is an ardent surporter of the Orione Community Project in Kandisi.

""The First Lady Margaret Kenyatta has appealed to parents to shun the culture of hiding children with special needs. She asked parents to instead take them to institutions that will be equip them with skills and knowledge to be self-dependent. Insistently, she calls upon parents : “Do not confine children with disabilities behind closed doors. They have a right to knowledge and skills like other children,” she said.

Also, she commended the Catholic Church for helping children with special needs to be self-reliant by initiating life skills programmes for them.

She lauded the Orione Congregation in Thika for equipping children with special needs with skills that enable them to be integrated into the society.

The First Lady made the remarks at State House Nairobi during a video presentation on the activities of Orione Community Training Centre (OCTC) in Thika. The centre is run by catholic fathers known as Sons of Divine Providence. The centre caters for children with physical and mental disabilities and sensitises the communities on the need to take care of children with special needs.

The First Lady pledged to use her office to mobilize resources to support the noble initiative by the Orione Congregation.

She called on corporate organisations and Kenyans of goodwill to support a mini-marathon and fund raiser organized by the Orione Community Training Centre later this month to finance its activities in a new branch they have opened at Ongata Rongai, Kandisi.""