Every child deserves the opportunity to move, learn, participate and thrive with dignity. For children abled differently, achieving this potential often depends on timely assessment, specialised healthcare, appropriate assistive devices and a supportive environment that recognises their abilities rather than their limitations.
Within the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) community, the welfare of military families remains closely connected to the well-being and readiness of personnel. Supporting soldiers therefore extends beyond the individual in uniform to the families who provide the stability, encouragement and peace of mind that enable them to serve effectively.
Military Wives Association of Kenya (MWAK), in partnership with Bethany Kids and the Defence Forces Wellness Centre (DFWC), recently hosted a two-day comprehensive assessment outreach programme at Lang’ata Barracks. The programme also marked the official relaunch of the Bethany Kids Assistive Programme, strengthening efforts to improve access to specialised care and assistive support for children abled differently within the military community.
The initiative brought together healthcare practitioners, DFWC leadership, MWAK and Bethany Kids representatives, parents, caregivers and support staff in a shared mission to enhance mobility, independence and quality of life among children requiring specialised interventions.
The partnership combines Bethany Kids’ expertise in paediatric surgery, rehabilitation and disability care with DFWC’s healthcare and wellness infrastructure and MWAK’s family-centred programmes. Through this collaborative approach, specialised services are brought closer to military families while parents and caregivers are empowered with information and professional guidance to better support their children.
MWAK was represented by the Secretary, Mrs Rose Nganga, Mrs Susan Mzee, Assistant Pillar Health, Mrs Florence Mutua, Assistant Pillar – Special Needs and Mrs Cecelia Kimamzi, Regional Pillar – Langata.
The partnership between MWAK and Bethany Kids complements KDF efforts to ensure that military families receive comprehensive support. Inclusivity remains central to MWAK’s programmes, ensuring that every child and family has a sense of belonging within the wider KDF community.
The partnership between MWAK and Bethany Kids has encouraged families to come forward and seek timely professional assessment and intervention, enabling children with diverse needs to access services capable of improving their independence and overall well-being.
Commandant Defence Forces Wellness Centre, Colonel David Bii, emphasised that the programme goes beyond repairing or replacing wheelchairs and other assistive devices. At its heart, he said, the initiative is about restoring mobility, dignity, independence and hope while strengthening the families who care for children with special needs.
He observed that the partnership between MWAK, Bethany Kids and DFWC demonstrates the impact institutions can achieve by combining expertise and resources towards a common purpose. Colonel Bii also reassured parents and caregivers that the Wellness Centre remains committed to providing a supportive environment where military families can access professional care and assistance.
Chief Physical Medicine, Colonel Mohamed Omar, described the programme as an important opportunity developed collaboratively with Bethany Kids to advance inclusion and enhance independence among children with special needs.
He noted that a key component of the outreach involved identifying children requiring wheelchairs and other assistive devices and determining interventions best suited to their individual circumstances. The multidisciplinary approach brought together healthcare professionals, families and partners to address mobility challenges while considering each child’s broader developmental and daily living needs.
Throughout the two-day exercise, healthcare professionals conducted individual assessments to establish the children’s conditions, mobility requirements and challenges encountered in their everyday lives. The assessments helped determine appropriate assistive devices and other interventions while providing an opportunity for medical teams to engage directly with parents and caregivers on individual care needs.
Beyond clinical assessment, the programme created an environment where families could share experiences, receive professional guidance and better understand the support available to their children. This family-centred approach recognises that empowering caregivers is equally important in creating sustainable improvements in the lives of children abled differently.
The initiative reinforces the understanding that the welfare of soldiers and that of their families are inseparable. By combining specialised paediatric expertise, modern wellness infrastructure and purposeful family-focused programmes, KDF, MWAK and their partners are helping build stronger families while giving children abled differently greater opportunities to live with dignity, confidence and independence.
Ultimately, inclusion is about more than providing services or assistive devices. It is about creating opportunities, removing barriers and ensuring that every child is seen, supported and empowered to realise their potential. Through partnerships such as the Bethany Kids Assistive Programme, the military community continues to build an environment where different abilities are embraced, families are strengthened and no child is left behind.
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