Improving developmental outcomes for children with complex disabilities in Kenya

Sense International has been able to screen more than 11,000 children for sensory impairments in rural Kenya as part of its UK Aid Match project to improve developmental outcomes for children with complex disabilities.

The Chance To Shine project, which started in October 2020 and will end in 2023, is working specifically in the Garissa and Kwale counties and aims to increase the capacity of community health systems to improve developmental outcomes for children with complex disabilities and work with local government to ensure the changes made are sustained.

Other key achievements of the project include:

• Integrating sight and hearing testing and therapy units into four health facilities
• Training 160 health workers on sensory screening and early intervention services
• Training 304 community health volunteers who raise awareness of disability and the screening services
• Supporting Occupational Therapists to advise parents on how to adapt their home environment to make it less restrictive for their children with disabilities.

Find out more about the project and read the story of one of the project participants – Khalili.