It’s a sigh of relief for parents raising autistic children following the launch of a state-of-the-art autistic centre in Nanyuki, Laikipia County.
The facility, which is one of its kind in the Mount Kenya region, is expected to cater to the needs of autistic children, including speech therapy, orthopaedic therapy and a sensory unit, among others, aimed at ensuring they live a productive and healthy life.
Tumaini St. Thorlak Autism Centre which was launched on Monday by Nyeri Diocese Bishop Anthony Muheria, is funded by well-wishers and other partners. The facility is domiciled at Huruma Consolata Hospital.
“Thanks to the generosity of many Christians and local benefactors, we have been able to put up this centre here with units that will help autistic children. We have to be deliberate and support children who are abled differently,” said Bishop Muheria.
Muheria pointed out that Autism was becoming in the country, making parents despair for lack of support since treatment was costly.
“Autism is becoming very common in our country and we have seen so many families unable to handle whatever is happening to their children, including delayed learning and speech. Most of these families are poor and are not able to address that,” said Muheria.
The Bishop urged for the nurturing of children abled differently in a bid to ensure they achieve their potential and become important people in society.
He added that autistic children had unique abilities and skills which would blossom if they were treated the right way.
Former Central Bank of Kenya Governor Patrick Njoroge said that the facility would relieve the burden of most families with autistic children.
Njoroge noted that the society had marginalized autistic people since they are seen as a burden.
Susan Gachara, a mother of an eight-year-old autistic child, was one of the parents expected to benefit from the centre.
She said that Tumaini St Thorlak Autism Centre has relieved them of the financial burden which had taken a toll on them for the treatment of their children.
“We have endured a lot of suffering, especially with schooling, since no one understands them and also on where to take them for therapy. It’s quite expensive. With this centre, we are thankful to God because we have been relieved of the financial burden,” said Ms Gachara.
According to World Health Organization (WHO), Autism is a development disorder that impairs one’s ability to communicate and interact.
Further, in Kenya, autism affects approximately 4 percent of the population or 2.2 million people, at varying degrees across the Autism Spectrum Disorders, with Kenya ranked at number 46 globally.
By Muturi Mwangi
