CBM assists mothers of children with disabilities

The month of May is often associated with Mother's Day around the globe. It is a time to honour and celebrate mothers for their achievements and their ‘influence in society’. While flowers are a common gift for this special occasion, others may opt for special dinners in a nice restaurant or surprise vacations for those who can spend a little more. Time will be spent thinking and planning for this special day so that mothers get the best treat and so that they can feel special. No matter the gift indeed mothers are special and they deserve the best and words or gifts cannot truly express the role they play.

As mothers all over the world will be celebrating Mother's Day, the mothers in Meru may be oblivious of the existence of this day. Most of them will be too busy focused on the needs close to their hearts which are the needs of their children living with disabilities. These mothers have formed a group whose name translated means ‘supporting one another.’ The children have different disabilities and forming this group was a timely opportunity for the families to share their challenges and support one another.

CBM, through its partner SPARK and the Diocese of Meru, facilitated the formation of these groups at the time of the drought by providing food rations and seeds to plant. The women were divided into groups to facilitate easy distribution of the food rations provided as relief at the time. The groups were specifically formed for mothers with children with disabilities and or people living with disabilities themselves. Once this period was past, they decided to stay in their groups for support as well as other activities that may sustain them and their families. Since then, there has been no turning back.

Currently (May 2012), through CBM post emergency community empowerment projects, the 38 members of the group have undergone various trainings to strengthen their capacity. (Part of the trainings included learning the importance of immunisation, nutritional needs for their children with disabilities, improved farming techniques and group dynamics.) They have put into practice what they learned from the as part of livelihood support to cater for their food and nutritional needs. They have been working on the shambas (gardens) to grow arrow roots for food. The labor is intense but the women are hard working and would do anything for their children.

Their daily routine includes meeting early in the morning at 8am. They come with their children who cannot be left at home by themselves. They drink the porridge made from arrow roots leaves then do some physical therapy exercises with their children as they were trained by Community Based Rehabilitation (CBR) workers from SPARK. Then they disperse to their different chores as agreed and as divided amongst themselves. Some will remain with the children while others will be away digging trenches for some of the mothers to plant the arrow roots while others shall be weeding or planting crops on one of the women’s land.

It’s a community affair and everyone is involved on a rotational basis. The group meets once a week for the group activities. When they are not farming usually after the rainy season, weeding and harvest, the groups are busy making soap or coming up with other activities that they may find beneficial to the group.

So what does mother’s day mean exactly for these women? It is taking care of their children with disability and trying to find ways and means of giving them support. Indeed a true heroic act.