Kenya Society for the Mentally handicapped

Making A Difference to the Lives of the People with Mental Disabilities

KSMH Submission to the Committee of Experts on Constitutional Review

Kenya ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UN CRPD) on 19th May 2009. The Convention is a legally binding international instrument that clarifies Government’s obligations to respect and ensure the equal enjoyment of all human rights Read More

Mission

Mission: Actively Promoting identification, acceptance, inclusion and equal opportunities for persons with mental disabilities and their families in Kenya

The society is, in addition promoting the mainstreaming of specialized support services in the country’s development programs for PWID and their families in order to make their inclusion a reality.

Values

Values: Kenya Society for the Mentally Handicapped (KSMH) is a society for Kenyans living with mental disabilities and their families that uphold the following values;

Caring
Kindness and Compassion
Human rights and social justice
Equality and Non-discrimination
Inclusion
Dedication
Commitment
Openness

Goals

Goals: KSMH GOALS provides a framework for mainstreaming the special needs of persons with mental disabilities and their families in achieving the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in Kenya, by year 2015.
The Goals on behalf of persons with mental disabilities and their families, provides time-bound and measurable development goals for combating poverty, hunger, disease and discrimination.

Mental Disability is not Mental Illness!

Mental Disability is not Mental Illness!

It is generally defined as limitations in intellectual functioning and areas of adaptive skills. It covers all different aspects of mental disabilities such as Down Syndrome, Aspergers Syndrome, Autism, Dyslexia, severe cerebral palsy and epilepsy

The Society: Kenya Society for the Mentally Handicapped is an agent for change, to perform and to carry out, for the care and welfare, interest, treatment, education and advancement of intellectually disabled persons and their families, the following actions in areas of priority affecting their lives:

Identification, visibility and recognition of persons with mental disabilities in Kenya
Acceptance by the mother, family and the community at large
With respect to all special needs, supported access to basic care, treatment, rehabilitation,education and training
Inclusion in all aspects of everyday family and community life
Supported access to human rights and social justice with respect to individual decisions
Family support through adequate services and support networks to families with an intellectually disabled member
Inclusive legal and policy frameworks that are operational

Voices of Persons with Mental Disabilities
KSMH in the public eye

Voices of Persons with Mental Disabilities

We may have limitations in intellectual functioning and areas of adaptive skills, but we too have rights which should be respected. we require your help to even get the most basic needs. We require care and special protection from abuse because of our mental disabilities. Look at us as human beings first before seeing our disability. Please end the stigma! Read more..

We love them very much; we wish they have got people to help us. We need for our children a place where they can learn basic skills so that they are less dependent on us. Who will take care of our adults when we die? Read more..

UN International Day 2009 - view more photos ...