4 Tips on how to master your happiness: Author Mugambi Paul

Posted on May 21, 2022 by admin01

The concept of happiness is so vague that most of us run after this mysterious phenomenon all of our lives. But how to be happy? Can you see it? Can you buy it at the nearest convenience store? Or does happiness come with lots of money?
If we look around us, we might find a millionaire who can’t sleep at night thinking how to make more money? Is he happy? If you ask him, the answer would be most likely no. So, how to be happy?
We don’t even know the answer. No one does. Science explains happiness as nothing more than a few chemicals reacting inside our brains.
But I can tell you one thing. Happiness comes from within. And it has a strong connection with satisfaction. You may find a glimpse of happiness when you’re content with your current status.
In this article, i plan to show you the path of how to be happy. What you must understand is that you are responsible for your own happiness. No one is going to serve it to you on a silver plate.
Extracts from my personal Facebook in December 2013
https://mbasic.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=676949675658660&id=100000309023349&_rdr
Tip 1:Don’t Give the Situation an Upper Hand
Happiness is often the opposite of distress. When we’re in distress regarding something, we cannot feel happy. At least that’s how the human brain is wired.
So, if you ever find yourself in a situation where everything is going against you, take a deep breath. At least it’s not the end of the world, right? Whatever is happening, it’s temporary. The situation will pass and you will rise like a phoenix again.
And never cling to the circumstances when they’re over. It’s the worst thing that you can do to your poor little heart. Consider them as lessons and try to learn from them. Happiness will follow.
Tip 2:Say Bye to Dependency to Learn How to be Happy
Did you know dependency on someone or something is the biggest happiness killer? When you look up to someone or some situations, they will let you down in most cases. Because at the end of the day, no one can know how to keep you happy except for yourself.
The sooner you accept the fact that you’re responsible for your happiness, the sooner you’ll be able to embrace it. Do what makes you happy. If your best friend cannot join you on the trip, go for it alone. Blaming him or her won’t bring you happiness. The trip might.
This brings us to Tip 3:, the question of how to be happy and blaming others doesn’t go well together.
Stop Blaming Others
It’s another huge reason people tend to be unhappy in life. We humans always try to escape reality by blaming someone or something. ‘I am unhappy because he did that’ or ‘I am unhappy because something happened’. Well, unless it’s something life-changing, why should it bother you?
Take responsibility and be accepting. If your best friend couldn’t join you on the trip, he or she might have something more urgent to attend to. Don’t think any less of you. It’s not always about yourself. You must be empathetic to people. And often, empathy is the key to find the answer to how to be happy.
Tip 4:
Understand the Line Between Self Respect and Ego
In the current society that we live in, the line between self-respect and ego has blurred. Of course, the opinion on both these phenomena will vary from person to person. But we’re the same at our core.
If someone has a different opinion than you, they are not hurting your ego. They are just stating their point. Just because their opinion doesn’t reflect yours doesn’t make them wrong. And you can’t go into arguments to protect your ego. Only say enough to hold your self-respect.
Finally, end the conversation on a good note so that it doesn’t bother you for the days to come.
How to Be Happy? Be Thankful
We all have needs. It’s human nature to want to live a glorious life. So, we often feel unhappy about something we don’t have. But look around you. You have an abundance of things to be happy about.
You can start with the fact of being alive. Do you know how many people leave us every day? Or every hour? We can come down to seconds if you want. Being alive is the biggest gift mother nature has given you. Appreciate it. Appreciate the fact that you can eat and live a healthy life. The promotion you missed will come someday. Be patient. And most importantly, learn how to be happy.
Never Let Go of Integrity
In childhood, we are all influenced by our parent’s values and what society has taught us. As we grow up, we develop our own sense of integrity about what’s right in life and what’s wrong. One of the key components of happiness is keeping integrity intact.
We often forget who we are in the pursuit of money, fame, or other things. And sometimes, we might go to an extent where our integrity is compromised. Keep in mind, once it’s done, there’s no way to come back.
So, never let go of your integrity. Be true to yourself and never let anyone or any circumstance change that.
Control is Not the Answer
In our pursuit of happiness, we often forget that everything is not in our control. And sometimes, letting go is the only way to be truly happy. The more you’ll try to control something, the more it will get out of your hand.
Think of sand. The harder you squeeze it, the faster it slips through. The same principle applies to how to be happy in life. Accept the fact that you cannot control everything. Try and believe in destiny. What is meant to happen, will happen. You’ll suddenly realize your shoulder feels a lot lighter.
Final Words on How to Be Happy
If you’ve stuck to the article so far, you should realize that being happy is not that hard. All it takes is a little patience and understanding from your end. You are the only one responsible for your happiness in life. The sooner you start to take responsibility, the faster you’ll master the art of being happy.
Join us in the disability sausage YouTube channel for much mouthwatering articles
The views expressed here are for the author and do not represent any agency or organization.
Mugambi Paul is a public policy, diversity, inclusion and sustainability expert.
Australian Chief Minister Award winner
“Excellence of making inclusion happen”

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Why stress should be added as a slow killer list among Kenyans! Author Mugambi Paul

Posted on May 20, 2022 by admin01

Like it or not, stress is something every one of us will encounter at some point in our lives. For some people, stress is just an annoying side-effect of a busy life. For others, however, stress is much more of a problem.
To an extent, we can expect to encounter some feelings of stress in the workplace. With pressing deadlines, a chaotic working environment, and the struggle to maintain a work-life balance, it stands to reason that earning a living can be stressful.
But what about when stress follows you home? Letting stress impact you mentally, spiritually, and emotionally can have a truly disastrous effect on your whole life. And yes, there is something that you can do about it. Identifying where your stress comes from and what is causing it is the first step to freeing yourself.
As disability Sausage Media, we will dive into the types of stress and how you can gain control over them. Let’s take a look!

What Are the Four Stressors?
When we’re feeling stressed, pressure can seem to come from every direction and every aspect of our life. In reality, though, stress usually comes in four different forms: time, situations, anticipation, and encounters.
Let’s take a look at each of these types of stress in psychology and discuss how you can counteract each one.

1. Time Stress
This stressor is exactly what it sounds like. Impending deadlines, a sense of time running out, and the nasty, cold feeling that you’ve forgotten something important all cause feelings of stress and panic.
Maybe you’ve joked about how there are never enough hours in the day, but tasks and responsibilities keep on coming. For most adults, avoiding these tasks or dropping our responsibilities just isn’t an option, so what can you do when you’re stressed over not getting things done?
Start by focusing on time management. Create to-do lists, prioritize, and maximize the time that you have. You may need to learn to start saying no to additional tasks or helping out!

2. Situational Stress
Nobody likes to feel out of control, and this is where situational stress comes in.
Situational stress involves feelings of panic, helplessness, and anxiety over something you can’t control. This type of stress can occur when you’re going through an emergency (yours or somebody else’s), conflict, getting laid off, or some other uncontrollable circumstance.
Naturally, an emergency or losing your job would make you feel stressed. You can’t control your circumstances at that moment, but you can control your feelings of stress.
The first step to managing situational stress is recognizing the physical symptoms of stress and anxiety. Managing anxiety symptoms can be different for everyone, but some techniques can go a long way when it comes to physically calming you down.
Deep breathing, deliberately relaxing tense muscles, mindfulness, and more can all help you to push away those choking feelings of stress and to think logically and calmly.
Once you’ve handled the immediate panic that stress creates, you can focus on thinking rationally and dealing with your situation.

3. Anticipatory Stress
Anticipatory stress can be one of the most harmful types of stress, as it focuses on the future - on something that hasn’t happened yet. Like other forms of stress, anticipatory stress goes hand-in-hand with anxiety disorders.
We might get so caught up in imagining the absolute worst-case scenario that the stress and fear can become almost unbearable. How can you manage stress over something in the future?
The first step is to remind yourself that what you’re imagining may never happen. Visualize the situation that’s making you anxious, and imagine it all going smoothly. Meditation, addressing fear of failure, and building confidence will all go a long way to reducing anticipatory stress.

4. Encounter Stress
Encounter stress comes from anxiety over interacting with people. This could come from interacting with people in general or from interacting with a specific person or group of people. Encounter stress and situational stress can go together, especially if you fear conflict.
If you can, try brushing up on your people skills, and improve your confidence. This will increase your ability to handle contact with people and, in turn, will ease your stress.
Meditation, mindfulness, and breathing exercises can help to ease the immediate symptoms of stress and anxiety. Removing these physical symptoms will help you feel and act better. What Are the Three Main Causes of Stress?
Stress can seem to come from every corner of our lives, but in reality, stress can be narrowed down to three main areas of our lives: finances, work, and our personal life.
Each cause of stress can present differently. For example, time stress can be found more often in work and finances, whereas situational stress might be seen more in our personal life.
However, everyone is different, which means that your stress may present differently from that of a friend or work colleague. Luckily, as previously mentioned, it is within your control!

Learning to Manage Your Stress
There are many different ways to manage stress, and this can be different depending on your unique circumstances and personality. You can try managing different types of stress by using one, several, or all of these methods:
• Focus on good time management
• Prioritize and organize (create to-do lists, decide what needs to be done first, etc.)
• Learn to say “no” when necessary
• Meditate and practice breathing exercises
• Practice mindfulness
• Learn the difference between internal stressors (stress created by internal factors, ie. anxiety disorders) and external stressors (anxiety created by outside circumstances, such as work and family responsibilities) and deal with these two stressors differently
• Boost your self-confidence and self-esteem
• Improve your people skills and conflict management
This is by no means a complete list of how to manage stress and anxiety. It’s important to try out a few different methods to decide what works best for you.
Control Your Stress—Don’t Let Your Stress Control You
Ideally, you would cut all sources of stress out of your life. Of course, we know that this usually isn’t possible.
If you suspect that you could have an anxiety disorder or you aren’t managing your stress well, seek medical advice. Therapists and doctors can help you identify the causes of stress, the types of stress that you deal with the most, and help you to create an action plan to work through it.
Don’t suffer in silence. And seek out solutions. Stress is something we all go through from time to time, and there are various ways to combat it.
Join us in the disability sausage YouTube channel for much mouthwatering articles
The views expressed here are for the author and do not represent any agency or organization.
Mugambi Paul is a public policy, diversity, inclusion and sustainability expert.
Australian Chief Minister Award winner
“Excellence of making inclusion happen”

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Why humanitarian organization need to achieve Disability-inclusive child safeguarding! Author Mugambi Paul

Posted on May 11, 2022 by admin01

Generally speaking, public participation and making sure voices are hard is one of the fundamentals of duty bearers to conceive ideas and ensure development and engagement takes place. [Carol 2018]
Persons with disabilities face challenges, due
to numerous barriers that limit their active participation in decision-making processes and are less
likely to have their humanitarian protection needs met. Most affected are children with disabilities, as
well as children whose caregivers live with a disability [save the children 2020 HI 2020[ Article 7 of the UNCRPD further calls for
children with disabilities’ enjoyment of “all
human rights and fundamental freedoms
on an equal basis with other children”
and that in all actions concerning them,
the “best interests” of the child shall be a
primary consideration and that “children
with disabilities have the right to express
their views freely on all matters affecting
them on an equal basis with other children,
and to be provided with disability and age appropriate
assistance to realize that right. In other words, Disability-inclusive child safeguarding means implementing child safeguarding systems that include all children, including children with disabilities.
Children, particularly those with disabilities, are disproportionately affected by violence, facing a
plethora of challenges: marginalization, lack of access to adapted services, and even direct targeting
for violence. Globally, it is estimated that some 93 million children – or one in 20 of those under 15
years of age – live with a moderate or severe disability, with 13 million (0.7%) children experiencing
severe difficulties [UNICEF 2019 save the children 2020] Children with disabilities as well as children whose parents and/or caregivers have
a disability is not only among the most isolated, socially excluded, and marginalized of all displaced
populations, but also among those most vulnerable to violence and abuse. Body of research show that children with disabilities are almost four times more likely to experience violence than non-disabled children,
3.7 times more likely than non-disabled children to be victims of any sort of violence, 3.6 times more
likely to be victims of physical violence, and 2.9 times more likely to be victims of sexual violence.
The population faces many risks as a result of multiple and complex unmet needs
furthermore Lack of data on boos and girls with disabilities perpetuates their invisibility and lack of representation in policies and programming
All humanitarian organizations should understand “States Parties recognize that women and
that girls with disabilities are protected girls with disabilities are subject to multiple
from harm through the following legal discrimination, and in this regard shall
frameworks: take measures to ensure the full and equal
enjoyment by them of all human rights and
Girls with disabilities, like all children, are fundamental freedoms.”59
protected by the Convention on the Rights
of the Child.58 Similarly, under the Convention on the
Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination
Under the Convention on the Rights of Against Women, there is a recognition
Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) Article 6 that gender-based violence is shaped by
on Women with Disabilities, intersecting dimensions of inequality,
including disability.
As a public policy scholar diversity and inclusion expert I opine that child with disabilities have the same
rights as children without disabilities.
Join us in the disability sausage YouTube channel for much mouthwatering articles
The views expressed here are for the author and do not represent any agency or organization.
Mugambi Paul is a public policy, diversity, inclusion and sustainability expert.
Australian Chief Minister Award winner
“Excellence of making inclusion happen”

Why Humanitarian organizations need to meaningfully engaged persons with disabilities in Humanitarian Program Cycle Author Mugambi Paul

Posted on May 6, 2022 by admin01

It is widely recognized that the globe is currently facing triple crises on a number of different fronts, including COVID 2019 climate change and natural disasters, conflicts and wars
and terrorist activity. Climate change in particular creates many challenges to humanitarian actors in responding to events that may occur without warning
or in areas which up until now have remained free of disaster.
Moreover, many global souths are reporting an increase of the crises as well as increase in poverty levels. I opine Humanitarian actions need to be responsive to adapt to these new crises and ensure that
that response is inclusive of everyone. To create inclusive humanitarian programmes, it is important to know how many people face participation restrictions and/or are in need of assistance.
We need to be able to verify that we are reaching persons with disabilities with our programmes. But how do we know that we have reached them?
A body of research shows that persons with disabilities have been left behind in the execution of humanitarian programmes during the onset and progress of the recovery and reconstruction phases.
This is to say in any situation of crisis or conflict, persons with disabilities face disproportionate risk of abandonment, violence, death, and a lack of access to safety, relief, and recovery support. Crucial information on safety and evacuation is often inaccessible, and evacuation centers themselves are also rarely accessible, meaning that persons with disabilities are too often left behind.
Similarly, sudden onset conflicts also pose multiple challenges to humanitarian actors and the affected population. People with disabilities are among the most
marginalized people in crisis-affected communities and are disproportionately affected by
conflict and emergency situations. 1 In disasters, their mortality rate is even two to four times higher than that of persons without disabilities. 2 Also,
children with disabilities are facing higher risks of
abuse and neglect, and women with disabilities are at higher risk of sexual violence. These risks exacerbate in times of conflict and disaster. Yet,
at the same time persons with disabilities often
experience barriers when accessing humanitarian response programmes. 3 To make sure that no one is left behind, we need to take steps to
reduce the risks and enhance the conditions for
people with disabilities during times of insecurity and conflict.
This is to affirm, Reaching the people who are most in need of assistance is central to the humanitarian mandate and is reflected in the humanitarian principles of humanity and impartiality. In a humanitarian emergency, people with disabilities are often among those most in need of assistance as they are at heightened risk of violence, exploitation or abuse. Persons with disabilities also face discrimination due to significant barriers in accessing needed humanitarian assistance. Increased vulnerability of persons with disabilities is created by a range of factors, including environmental barriers, stigma and discrimination, as well as the design and delivery of the humanitarian response itself. If persons with disabilities are not adequately considered at all phases of the Humanitarian Program Cycle (HPC), there is a risk that humanitarian action may fail to address the specific factors that place them at risk, including barriers to equitable access to protection and assistance.

I take note, Persons with disabilities are a diverse group of people, of which many experience different intersecting discrimination and/or marginalization, which are
often exacerbated by conflict and displacement. For example, it is important to note that the prevalence of disability is higher among women (19%) and
elderly people (46% of persons aged 60 years and over) that face different intersectional barriers. Thus, it is vital to consider how e.g., age, gender
and diversity when offering adequate protection and accessibility of services. [ILO 2018 HI 2020 IDA 2020]
additionally, Persons with disabilities are often left behind due to societal barriers and are often perceived as a burden when families have to flee the conflict situation.
This is to say Maximum effectiveness of humanitarian response will not be achieved without including all of society, at all levels of activity. Yet, when it comes to
preparing for and responding to the increasing number of natural and man-made disasters happening on a global scale, the capacities, rights and needs of
women, men, girls and boys with disabilities are not yet fully addressed by the duty bearers who are the state and non-state actors. [save the children 2021 HI 2020 IDA 20220 CBM 2020]
According to COP26 2021 It is estimated there will be at least 250 million people
displaced by climatic events by 2050, of whom at least 30
million are likely to be persons with disabilities.
Women, men, girls and boys with disabilities can be often
left behind in times of emergency. For example, the barrier facilitator assessment by Humanity &Inclusion 2020 showed that most persons with disabilities in Somalia could not access services and often those who reached could not get service or were pushed aside by the crowd.
As a public policy scholar, diversity & inclusion expert I believe Holding State Parties and governments accountable to their commitments on inclusive humanitarian action is a key factor in ensuring that persons with
with disabilities have the same access to aid as the rest of their communities in times of crisis. Persons with disabilities must be able to access humanitarian assistance and interventions on the same terms as other members of the population. This means
that the barriers and risks they face must be identified and reduced. A rights-based inclusive approach also requires humanitarian actors to recognize
the capacity of persons with disabilities to contribute to the humanitarian response as active participants.
Humanitarian organizations need to be trained on the usage of the 4 keys must do actions from the IASC 2019 guidelines. They outline essential actions and sector
specific advice on disability inclusion in any humanitarian setting.
Some urgent Ideas and needs to be pursued by Humanitarian organizations include:
• Identify immediate
• Support local organizations in the set up accessible transit shelters in Lviv and Uzhhorod
Provide accessible and alternative formats of information for receiving organizations/ persons with disabilities and their families (website, helpline, information leaflets in easy-to-read formats, braille, audio pictograms.
Deliver hygiene products, medicines and food
• Ensure the purchase of the necessary aids, including White canes, hearing aids, wheelchairs, crutches, walkers, pressure-relieving mattresses, etc.
Provide accessible vehicles to transport refugees with disabilities
• Advocate for governments to welcome adults and children with disabilities arriving from crises zone areas like currently in Ukraine and provide them with the right support.
Help link people with disabilities with accessible places to stay, with food, medical support and technical equipment they may need
Advocate for disability inclusion in the wider humanitarian response
Work with the media to ensure the situation of persons with disabilities is adequately represented and reduce ablism.

On the other hand, all in all, Humanitarian organizations should ensure persons with disabilities are innately included in all initiatives by, where feasible, utilizing the skills
and knowledge of local/national/international DPOs and disability-specific NGOs.
• As synergies between DRR and humanitarian action increase, through DRR at community level, persons with disabilities and DPOs can become involved. It
is becoming increasingly recognized that resilience starts with making people aware of and prepared to prevent and/or cope with a possible disaster. Involving
persons with disabilities and DPOs in this awareness and capacity building helps build resilience among persons with disabilities and that of the whole
community. Disability inclusive preparedness plans will help elicit disability inclusive emergency response. Exclusion of persons with disabilities from
humanitarian action is a breach of the principle of impartiality and undermines the efficiency and effectiveness of the action.
Development of local DRR mechanisms such as committees, action plans etc. must be inclusive of women, men, girls and boys with disabilities.
DRR plans should be closely linked to response and recovery activities and there should be greater cooperation among various humanitarian and development
actors prior to, during and after the disaster. Without this obvious linkage, humanitarian action is unlikely to be effective and efficient.
Join us in the disability sausage YouTube channel for much mouthwatering articles
The views expressed here are for the author and do not represent any agency or organization.
Mugambi Paul is a public policy, diversity, inclusion and sustainability expert.
Australian Chief Minister Award winner
“Excellence of making inclusion happen”
December 2021 top digital disability influencer.
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Will the Kenyan political parties have disability inclusion irreducible minimums? Guest Authors Dr. Phitalis Were Masakhwe, PhD & Dr. Tom Odhiambo, PhD And Mugambi Paul

Posted on May 5, 2022 by admin01

It was Harold Lasswel who said that politics is the art and science of deciding who gets what, when and how signifying that those who get the power in its absolute sense hold the key to various issues that are pertinent to the growth and development of a nation.

As we edge closer towards the next Kenyan general election that is slated for 9th of August, 2022, aspirants from various political parties and those vying independently are criss-cross the country to hunt for votes that would propel them to the echelons of power.

The adage of all times equally reminds us that politics is about interests, the political class will come together to propel their interests in an effort to capturing power. The notion remains practical even to those who understand politics remotely. The voters are equally aligning themselves to political parties that best suit their interests, and Kenyans with Disabilities (Kenyans with disabilities) are not an exception. The Americans are famous “for no free lunch”, slogan. But it’s the French that are more succinct and pronounced on matters interests. Their “quid pro quo” jingle or scratch my back i scratch yours comes to mind. Kenyans with disabilities can no longer afford to be flower girls or boys in these coming elections. As an organized interest Group, they must put forward their cogent agenda in the arena of needs for analysis reflection and action. They must acutely negotiate their interests, their needs, their concerns with prospective Member of County Assembly in their wards, their Member of Parliament, governors of their counties, and Senate and the next President of the Republic of Kenya. Those with their best interests and plausible proposal on how they will significantly address their agenda should earn their votes and nothing else.

In as much as the Constitution of Kenya 2010 guarantees some basic and fundamental rights to every citizen including equal and full participation at all levels of governance, to most Kenyans with Disabilities this has remained a distant dream. This population remains at abyss of its own peril as leaders bluntly ignore their plight; making it difficult for them to fully participate in development, decision making and accessing their basic needs. The Kenyans with disabilities therefore, remain largely aloof as exclusion take center stage with most policies and plans being overly opaque and insufficient to address their needs and concerns. It’s not lost to most of us that legislations are in place, monumentally so; presenting an ideal situation that could improve the lives of Kenyans with disabilities, but implementation remains a mirage.

As we ponder about the inherent biases and lack of engagement for Kenyans with disabilities, it is a clarion call to all aspirants seeking elective positions to articulate the varied concerns that have remained systemic and perpetuated by unyielding discourse that seems not to go beyond mere talks. It’s high time our leaders treated the plight of Kenyans with disabilities with the seriousness it deserves so that they are not marginalized and excluded from what matters to them. The political class should therefore step up their efforts through formulation of robust policies and plans that are adaptable and comprehensive enough to guarantee inclusivity.

In anticipation to a better future ahead, Kenyans with disabilities are therefore compelled to demand; and rightly so, for the inclusion of their ten points agenda individual candidates and political parties’ manifestos and plans as some of the irreducible minimum for their votes.

That, your manifestos and plans should adequately address education and training of Kenyans with disabilities. Meaningful empowerment of Kenyans with Disabilities can only come when we make their education and skills development mandatory. To this end we need to urgently revive and fund the Education Assessment and Resource Centers (EARC) across the Country to be able to assess children with various forms of impairments and to accordingly refer and place them, depending on their needs and degree of impairment.

It also envisaged that your plans will guarantee conducive learning environment where we can adjust and adapt public schools and all training institutions to have the necessary enabling supporting environment for children and learners with various forms of impairments so as to foster integration and inclusion in the long run. Expand space and infrastructure for learners with severe disabilities that may not meaningfully benefit from “regular” schools by introducing home learning.

Your plans should equally put in place adequate mechanisms for effective and robust implementation of the accessibility clause in the Kenyans with Disabilities Act 2003. Those who fail to implement this clause should be sanctioned just as is punishable if you do not pay tax.

It is our expectation that you policies and plans have provided mechanisms for reviewing the Kenyans with Disabilities Act 2003 and the Policy to make them relevant and in tandem with the 2010 Constitution, UNCRPD 2006, vision 2030, sustainable development goals and the present realities and needs of Kenyans with disabilities

The policies should explicitly give direction on development of new social protection regime to cushion/support all unemployed Kenyans with disabilities and those with severe /multiple disabilities. Further to that, enterprise/ economic empowerment entities should factor and focus on Kenyans with disabilities
Additionally, counties should implement and fund county disability councils for effective services at the counties as envisaged in the county disability acts
For inclusivity and adequate representation of Kenyans with disabilities, clear mechanisms must be put in place to affect the Kenyans with disabilities 2003, UNCRPD 2006 and the 2010 Constitution requirement of 5% consideration of Kenyans with disabilities in both appointive and elective positions. Commitment to support the political empowerment for Kenyans with disabilities is therefore paramount.
We further remain hopeful that, your plans have elaborate strategies and means of mounting public awareness, education and sensitization on disability rights, reduction of ableism and development

In line with the 2010 Constitution which recognizes sign language, braille, as the key language to enable effective integration of the deaf, Blind and Deaf-blind in society, we need a robust plan for its development and utilization in public discourse

Noting that, the Kenyans with Disabilities Act 2003 creates the National Council for Kenyans with Disabilities as well as the National Development Fund for Kenyans with Disabilities which are key in social economic and educational development of Kenyans with disabilities yet they are grossly underfunded; these need to be reviewed.

Finally, support for the organizations of persons with disabilities, development of robust Groups and individuals of Kenyans with disabilities and Parents of children with disabilities Children's Organizations as legitimate vehicles for effective engagement with policy makers on their agenda should also be central to your planning.
It is incumbent upon the government and other stakeholders to make deliberate efforts towards formulation of comprehensive plans and policies that are in tandem with the needs and requirements of the Kenyans with disabilities, as a means of tackling the barriers to full social and economic inclusion. Consequently, and amidst the challenges that we grapple with as a nation, it’s worth noting that Kenyans with disabilities will suffer disproportionately from attendant inaction. As we chant our political slogans, most of which depict a unified and peaceful Kenya for all, it is imperative to move together as one indivisible nation where everybody feels empowered to fully participate in every aspect of life. Kenyans with Disabilities must wake up from slumber and effectively use their votes to effect the positive changes they have been yearning for, it is possible, and it’s doable.
Join us in the disability sausage YouTube channel for much mouthwatering articles
The views expressed here are for the authors and do not represent any agency or organization.
Dr.Phitalis Were Masakhwe, PhD, is a Disability Inclusion Specialist, mphitalis@gmail.com, hile Dr Tom Odhiambo Teaches Literature and Performing Arts at the University of Nairobi, Tom.odhiambo@uon
-bi.ac.ke Mugambi Paul is a public policy, diversity, inclusion and sustainability expert.
disabilitysausage@gmail.com

Are you mentally strong when The Going Gets Tough? “What makes you to focus?” Author Mugambi Paul

Posted on April 24, 2022 by admin01

Life comes with inevitable change – sometimes it’s easy and nice, other times it is hard and painful. But whether we consider them good or bad is all up to us. True, some of these ups and downs may be stressful and add pressure to our lives, but it is always up to us to face them.
And considering that a lot of our response (to these hurdles) is based on how mentally prepared we are, the quality of being “mentally strong” ceases to be another fancy word or cool thing to have, but a crucial survival tool.
Not only are mentally strong people able to jump on opportunities and make the best of them, but they are also able to take the problems, obstacles, pressure life throws at them and turn them into lessons and opportunities to grow from.
It all seems like a superpower when you talk about it this way. One is even tempted to wonder if these people are super-humans, or made of different stuff than the rest of us. But the truth is that mentally strong people aren’t very much different from the rest of us. You can become mentally strong. You just need to know what they do – especially when the going gets tough – then train yourself to do those things.
Below are 17 things mentally strong people do when the going gets tough:

How To Go Through Tough Times by Being Mentally Strong
Life serves everyone lemons; below is how mentally strong people turn those into lemonades. I am a living in some of these suasions. I resonate with some of the ideas. Feel the anxiety briefly in acknowledging the problem. Jump into whatever action to make the shift, and adjust to flow in a much more positive attitude.
1. They detach themselves from the situation: When unfortunate events occur, they do not allow themselves to spiral into self-pity and depression. They don’t waste time wallowing and wondering why the whole universe has decided to conspire against them. They simply realize that it is an event that has happened, and all that is left to do is to respond in a helpful way. I know it takes time to accept situations but you do not have a choice but stop warren and amend the route. If the road is bumpy search for alternative.
2. They Motivate Themselves: By letting go of self-limiting beliefs and beckoning on their inner strength, they give themselves the strength to face their adversities. They give themselves pep talks and encourage themselves to keep going. For these I started reading books became a creative mind and earned a top innovation award in 20221 at the Nairobi startup weekends.
3. They Accept the Challenge: They don’t go looking for problems but are always ready to face one when it arises. They don’t try to hide from it or even complain, but simply take it as part of life.
4. They Focus on The Things They Can Control: Rather than worrying about the 99 things they have no control over, they focus on the 1 thing they have control over, and do their best at resolving that 1.
5. They Persevere: They say, “when the going gets tough, the tough get going”. Mentally strong people are able to stick to their goals through hell and high waters, and retain enough endurance to weather the storm when they find themselves in helpless situations.
6. They Quit: Mentally strong people choose their struggles wisely. They may decide to quit a certain course of action if they realize that it is not worth the effort, or would cost them something greater. Mentally strong people have the courage to admit when they are wrong, chasing an inordinate ambition, or have simply missed the opportunity; and they throw in the towel without feeling bad about it.
7. They Practice Self-care: No matter the happenstance, they realize that they need to be in good mental, physical, spiritual, and psychological states to tackle the challenges. Hence, mentally strong people practice self-care (especially) when they are going through difficult times.
8. They Shuffle Their Priorities: In the face of difficulty, mentally strong people make time to prioritize activities. They decide what goals are worth chasing, and this enables them to use their energy wisely. They don’t allow the heat of the moment or upsurge of pressure to overwhelm them into taking unproductive or regressive actions.
9. They Set-up Their Environment for Success: Though counterintuitive, mentally tough people don’t always use their willpower to overcome challenges. For instance, a mentally tough person might decide to unfollow inciting social media pages, hide the cookie jar, or keep their phones in the other room in order to control their impulses. This doesn’t mean that they are weak, but that they are wise to conserve their willpower (which is finite).
10. They Help Other People: Rather than obsessing about themselves, mentally strong people seek to alleviate the suffering of those around them; and this has the effect of helping them rise above their pains and suffering – giving them the strength and courage to persevere and do something about the situation. This also helps keep the spirit of everyone high, and keep them solution-oriented, rather than letting the feeling of helplessness and despair take over. I have mentored many on these spaces and this g reader satisfaction
13. They Count Their Blessings: Rather than complaining and whining, they practice gratitude, and this helps them see life from a clearer perspective; Which then enables them to draw strength from the past and also look forward in hope, with enthusiasm, and confidence. This one has a positive impact when I remember there are people who are not enjoins, I have, for instance being healthy.
14. They Reflect on The Past: They take out time to consider the past – in order to learn the necessary lessons, and grow from the mistakes and pains. This one I have severally hinted in most of my posts on my disability journey of advocacy and what the young generations of disability advocates should do.
15. They Seek Help and Support: When things get tough, they do not hesitate to reach out for help. am forever grateful for those who have come through moments of my life. It has not been easy since not everyone believes that even strong people like me have our bad moments in life.
16. They Cry: They properly process their emotions. Rather than denying their emotions, or bottling them up – which is unhealthy – mentally strong people express their emotions; they cry and rejoice according to the events that occurred.
17. They Remain Flexible: Perhaps the most important quality of mentally strong people is their ability to adapt to changing times and situations. They don’t force themselves to feel certain ways, or deny reality altogether, but are able to move from one emotional, situational, and environmental state to another without loss of hope, or direction.

In summary, being mentally strong is not the solution to every or any problem per se, but rather an optimal state for attacking, or at least enduring difficulties.
I haven’t practiced number 16!
What do you think of the 17 ideas?
Join us in the disability sausage YouTube channel for much mouthwatering articles
The views expressed here are for the author and do not represent any agency or organization.
Mugambi Paul is a public policy, diversity, inclusion and sustainability expert.
Australian Chief Minister Award winner
“Excellence of making inclusion happen”

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Six tips for managing back-to-work anxiety

Posted on April 22, 2022 by admin01

With many workplaces reopening their doors amidst the easing of coronavirus restrictions, this has the potential to be a stressful time for people that are returning to their usual workspaces.
There are a number of reasons that you may be feeling on edge about returning to work. Here are some examples of these issues and some tips to help you manage your anxiety.
Causes for concern
Commuting
If you’ve been working from home for the last few months, you might be nervous about using public transport again. Given the government-issued direction on physical distancing has been based around reducing the spread of the coronavirus, this is a valid concern.
The idea of going from keeping 1.5 metres away from everyone, including loved ones, to sharing a peak-hour train with dozens of other commuters, is understandably stressful.

Sharing equipment
The nature of sharing a worksite or office space is such that you’ll also be sharing a lot of the same stuff. In traditional offices, this ranges from communal bathrooms and kitchens (including cutlery) to meeting rooms, desks and computers. This is especially relevant for office workers who work for businesses that hot desk.
Construction sites, gyms and allied health studios will all face their own unique challenges when it comes to using the same equipment, as will a plethora of other industries and workplaces.

Changing routines
While many people will be excited to return to some form of normality, there will be others that have become accustomed to their new arrangements. For those who have been working from home, you’ve had the opportunity to sleep in longer and wear tracksuit pants all day.
Parents who have had more time with their children as a result of COVID-19 may be apprehensive about not being able to do so moving forward.
What can you do

1. Voice your concerns
If you’re feeling uncomfortable about returning to work, don’t keep it to yourself. Be honest with your employer so you can work through any issues together. This is an unprecedented situation for them as well, and they may not be aware of things that are worrying their staff unless they are informed.

2. See if flexibility is an option
While many businesses are reopening their doors, it doesn’t mean that working from home is off the table completely. If your employer is still allowing remote working in some form, see if you can arrange a split between time spent in the physical workspace, and days at home. Even if it’s just one or two days, it may help ease the transition and offset some of the anxiety you’re experiencing.

3. Look after yourself & prioritise self care by maintaining positive habits
You might find yourself focusing a lot of energy into going back to work, and some things can fall by the wayside. Make sure self-care isn’t one of these. Continue to prioritise activities that keep you centred and happy, whether they be exercise, eating well, meditation or simply connecting with loved ones.
While isolation has been very difficult in most respects, there have been some silver linings. With more spare time, many of us have picked up new hobbies or reignited old passions. It could be painting, reading, cooking, meditating, even your newfound love for jigsaw puzzles. It’s more important than ever to prioritise self-care, so continue the things that put you in a good headspace.
Even if you’re likely to be shorter on time, don’t abandon these behaviours. Even if it’s something as simple as still taking the morning walk around the block that is now part of your routine. There are practical tools available too. HeadGear is a free app, available on the App Store and Google Play, that lets you complete activity-based challenges to build mental fitness.
This sustained period of isolation has helped people put the important things into perspective, so try not to lose that as you ease back into your ‘old’ life.

4. Manage your information intake
During the coronavirus pandemic, we’ve become accustomed to updates from the media on virtually everything on a regular basis. Make sure you’re getting your information from reliable sources and remember that advice from regulators and government is designed to enable safe ways of working.
When it comes to your own workplace, you will likely have plenty of questions. It may be frustrating but try to embrace the information provided by your employer, rather than trying to guess or predict what will happen down the track.
This will help you avoid unnecessary stress about things you can’t control.

5. Understand what constitutes a mentally healthy workplace
With so many people working from home full time over the last few months, the grey area between professional and personal has been blurred like never before. While unemployment has been an unfortunate by-product of COVID-19, plenty of organisations are super busy in response to the coronavirus, and some employees have been working longer hours than normal.
Everyone has a role to play in helping create to a mentally healthy workplace. With so much change to our ways of working, this period of transition is the ideal time to make sure you’re across workplace mental health risk factors, in order to avoid them.
By doing so, you can reduce the likelihood of burnout and job satisfaction.

6. Celebrate the opportunity to reconnect
There have been a few perks associated with working from home, such as no commuting and additional spare time, but we’ve also lost a lot. This includes things most of us probably took for granted, such as morning coffee runs with colleagues or staff drinks (that aren’t over Zoom) at the end of a long week. Even just being able to talk to a co-worker to ask a quick question or have a chat has been missed.
So when the time does come to return to the office or the worksite, enjoy the little things that have been absent over the last three months. Take the time to have that one-on-one conversation with a colleague. Visit your regular café, just like you used to.
They might seem small, but these actions can help with establishing some normality back into your routine.
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The views expressed here are for the author and do not represent any agency or organization.
Mugambi Paul is a public policy, diversity, inclusion and sustainability expert.
Australian Chief Minister Award winner
“Excellence of making inclusion happen”

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New sensor technology helps blind and visually impaired pedestrians avoid hazards Author Mugambi Paul

Posted on April 21, 2022 by admin01

A new patented technology from Intelligent Material Solutions, Inc. is designed to help pedestrians who are blind and visually impaired navigate busy sidewalks and avoid sidewalk hazards. The sensor tech uses a cooperative guidance system to determine the pedestrians’ precise geolocation and guide them to public transportation, retail entrances, sidewalk exits and other locations.

How does it work?
Rare-earth crystals, which convert energy and provide digital information, are embedded in paint or thermoplastics. Sensors mounted or integrated with a cane can sense the crystals, gathering geolocation feedback.

Paired with a smart device, the system provides enhanced situational awareness for the user.

The crystal technology, which is called “Intelligent Material,” is defined on the organization’s website as “highly-tuneable physical, optical, and magnetic crystals that exhibit up- and down-converting luminescent properties. The patented crystals exhibit fine tuneable energy conversions, with unique emission and absorption spectra. Through IMS’ methods the crystals can be grown to any shape or size (3nm-50,000nm) and will naturally arrange themselves.”

What are the benefits of this technology?
Benefits include straight-line guidance at intersections and identification of transit stops. The system is also viable indoors for guidance in department stores and shopping malls, according to a statement about the technology.

While smartphone GPS based aid may seem like an effective guidance system, current smartphone-enabled GPS worsens around trees and structures such as bridges and buildings, according to GPS.gov.

The crystals are inert and can be used for a variety of applications including, life science and diagnostics, defence, authentication, transportation, spectroscopy and more.

Where has the crystal technology been tested?
To fine tune and test the technology in real life scenarios, Intelligent Material Solutions is working with partners including the City of Tampa, Florida, Tampa Lighthouse for the Blind, Ohio State University, Ohio State School for the Blind, Portland State University and the University of British Columbia.

Demonstrations were conducted at Portland State University and the University of British Columbia to test the effectiveness of the paint and cane while simultaneously receiving feedback from volunteers. The organization has also had trials in Tampa.

What was the feedback from those who tested it?
So far, the sensor technology had received a positive reception by those who’ve tested it.

“Our BVI volunteers who participated in trials in Portland and Vancouver BC were quite excited about the potential assistance that the I-Paint and cane system could provide them,” said Jonathan Fink, director of Portland State University’s Digital City Testbed Center. “We’re just at the early stages of exploring all of the ways this technology might be used to help people navigate through complex urban environments.”

Join us in the disability sausage YouTube channel for much mouthwatering articles
The views expressed here are for the author and do not represent any agency or organization.
Mugambi Paul is a public policy, diversity, inclusion and sustainability expert.
Australian Chief Minister Award winner
“Excellence of making inclusion happen”

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A case study of SDGS in low-income countries. A story of Kenya. Author Mugambi Paul

Posted on April 18, 2022 by admin01

A case study of SDGS in low-income countries.
A story of Kenya.
Author Mugambi Paul
Disabilities is no longer a matter of concern to persons with disabilities, but has been expanded to include people and other interested parties working to raise awareness about the rights, issues and abilities of persons with disabilities, and their potential to become a productive force in the society. People with disabilities are less fortunate than others in terms of health status, educational attainment and employment opportunities, and are therefore poorer than other citizens, where some studies indicate that 4 out of every 5 persons with disabilities experience from poverty.
According to Kipra 2022 poverty levels in Kenya have increased from 38 % in 2013 to 63 % in 2021. For Kenyans with disabilities numbers will be extremely high.
There are several reasons for this, including the lack of services available, inadequate social protection measures, high unemployment rates for Kenyans with disabilities, coupled with covid impact for them and the many obstacles they face in their daily lives. People with disabilities constitute the largest minority in low-income nations like Kenya 80% of them are of working age.
Given that the rights of persons with disabilities cannot be ignored, the Sustainable Development Agenda of 2030 states that disabilities cannot be a cause or justification for the inability to benefit from development programs or the enjoyment of human rights. The framework for the goals of sustainable development includes 7 goals explicitly referring to disabilities, and 6 other target people who are living at risk situations, including persons with disabilities. These goals address key areas of development such as education, decent work, social protection, disaster resilience and mitigation, sanitation, transportation and non-discrimination. The new sustainable development agenda is specifically committed to promoting actions to facilitate access for persons with disabilities to public places and facilities, technology and services in urban and rural areas, on equal level with others.
Needless to say, even when policies are robust and comprehensive in upholding the need for disability inclusion
across all international development projects, there is still often a gap between policy and
practice.

Challenges:
• In the field of education, persons with disabilities are facing barriers because of the lack of inclusive schools based on international standards, and the spread of illiteracy among them due to the lack of specialized cadres who are capable of providing the required education, as a result of negligence in the role of the states who are not doing their duty. Several studies by non-state actors in the low-income nations indicate this phenomenon [world bank 2020, IDA 2021 [
In the area of employment, the majority of persons with disabilities agonize from unemployment, including those with high qualifications, as a result of the non-activation of the article related to the allocation of 5% of public sector jobs according to most constitutions. and 5% of private sector jobs, for instance Kenyan article 54 of the constitution. According tot Kenyan public service it’s still below 2 % [standard November 2021]in I opine its Hight time low-income legislators introduced penalties for both public and private sectors who do not meet these obligations.

A major barrier to realizing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for persons with disabilities is a scarcity of disaggregated data on disability. This prevents the development of appropriate and effective disability-inclusive policy.
I observe, the crisis of the lack of political will to meet the demands of persons with disabilities remains the cornerstone of the aggravation of that problem.
• In the area of training and empowerment programs, the State does not provide training and literacy programs in order to reduce the spread of ignorance and empower persons with disabilities. Most technical institutes do not even recognize the certification of persons with different impairments. Persons with developmental disabilities, blind and deaf blind are victims of the Kenyan education system.

In the area of accessibility, persons with disabilities continue to suffer from the lack of access to public facilities on the equal bases with other citizens. In additional to that, these persons are unable to exercise their full right to move and travel around, because of the lack of accessible means of public and private transportation. Moreover, the roads and sidewalks are not accessible and cannot be used by these persons. All of this constitute many obstacles to the implementation of their right to move and be independent. Although some efforts are being made by road authorities to improve but they highly need to involve persons with disabilities and their organizations to ensure more accessible built environment is achieved.
Ala in all we need to lay emphasis nothing about us with out us and no one should be left behind.
Kenyans with disability want to be treated decently, not capriciously. They don't want to beg. The social protection is supposed to be there to help them
Join us in the disability sausage YouTube channel for much mouthwatering articles
The views expressed here are for the author and do not represent any agency or organization.
Mugambi Paul is a public policy, diversity, inclusion and sustainability expert.
Australian Chief Minister Award winner
“Excellence of making inclusion happen”

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How to ensure an inclusive work environment for persons with neuro diverse impairments: “My top five tips” Author Mugambi Paul

Posted on April 11, 2022 by admin01

Neurodiversity is the term used to describe natural variations in the human brain. Most people are neurotypical, meaning their brain functions in the way
that society expects. 1 in 7 people are neurodivergent, meaning their brain functions differently in one or more ways than is considered standard or typical.
Furthermore, Neurodiverse conditions are used to characterize diverse ways of thinking, learning, processing and behaving. A non-exhaustive list might include dyslexia,
autism, dyspraxia, and ADHD.
as disability sausage media we believe Welcoming a neurodiverse workforce can often mean that recruitment and development processes need to change.
To welcome the benefits of neurodiversity, employees must be empowered to work and achieve in their own way.
Typically, the workplace is supposed to be set up for neurotypical ways of thinking and doing. That means neurodivergent employees often can spend a lot of time trying to
adjust their work environment to suit their needs.
fortunately, Technology has seeped into nearly every aspect of our daily lives. Its use is embedded in how we work, how we’re entertained, how we connect, seek out knowledge, and it’s brought us closer together, advancing society in ways that could only have been dreamed of decades ago. But the benefits of technology, of course, have for a long time now moved far beyond enriching our personal lives or affording us novel conveniences.
These days, technology plays an even greater role in our lives. Its existence makes our jobs easier, helping us to do our work productively and with less hurdles. But for those in the workplace with hidden disabilities, technology can become another obstacle. That’s why it’s important that successful companies support their staff with technology that allows them to reach their full potential - tech that’s designed to help neurodiverse staff complete the daily tasks that are often taken for granted.

My top 5 tips which I believe can transform workplaces and practices include:

1 Flexible working hours may improve performance significantly. Allowing a neurodivergent employee to arrive earlier and leave earlier can help to avoid
large groups of people, which can be less stressful for travel and parking. Arriving early can also mean the employee can benefit from quiet time to focus
on tasks with less distractions.
2. Time- management software for people with autism or ADHD.
The use of calendars, planners and alerts helps to plan daily activities,
manage time effectively, and support memory challenges. This is to say the ability to organize effectively is something that many of us take for granted, but for those with neurodiverse traits, it can be a challenge. Many individuals struggle to priorities, becoming overwhelmed looking at a long task list. Introducing helpful technology into the workplace can assist employees in juggling their workload, reduce stress and increase productivity.
3.cancelling headphones to avoid distracting or confusing noises. Perfect for those with autism and ADHD.
4.Assistive technology features such as screen filters to help those sensitive to the intensity or frequency of light, and text to speech to help auditory processors
such as dyslexics.
In other words, some people find it difficult to process information, and in a workplace where things move at a rapid speed, it is important that these employees are given the assistance they need to process new information presented to them.
5. • Instant messaging such as Google Hangouts may be a more motivating
medium in which to communicate with colleagues.
Several research have indicated Neurodiverse teams benefit from increased productivity and innovation. That’s because diverse thinking is the reason great things happen in the workplace,
and beyond.

Specifically, neurodivergent individuals strengthen a workforce with out-of-the-box thinking, creative solutions, and more.
For example, Companies that are currently leading the charge in hiring neurodivergent workers include accounting firm EY, software company SAP, Microsoft, and Hewlett
Packard Enterprises.

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Open letter to Kenyan Disability league leaders: “When will you rise to the occasion?” Author Mugambi Paul

Posted on April 11, 2022 by admin01

For the estimated six million Kenyans with disabilities, the reality of life is that of constant, multiple rights violations, including extreme poverty, discrimination, poor access to healthcare, exclusion from education, lack of access to justice and lack of legal capacity.
In other words, Persons with disabilities include those who have long-term
physical, mental, intellectual or sensory impairments, which in interaction with various barriers may hinder their full and effective participation in
society on an equal basis with others.
Persons with disabilities are more likely to face barriers and obstacles to the physical environment, transportation, information and communications, and
in facilities or services. The capacities and needs of all persons with disabilities should be considered and make deliberate efforts to remove physical,
communication and attitudinal barriers to their access and participation.
The Kenyan communities in which persons with disabilities live mostly ignore or take for granted these daily rights violations, and Political parties are not yet adequately addressing their fundamental rights and basic needs.
This is to say, we have not seen serious commitments being made accept the low hanging fruits like wavering of nomination fees, having a few of persons with disabilities in to the system but not yet more robust gains for the Kenyans with disabilities.
Several research studies have shown Kenyan political parties have continuously excluded persons with disabilities not just matters representation but also in their PR agreements and also noncompliance with the UNCRPD African Disability Protocol on the Rights of Persons with Disability, and the 2010 Kenyan constitution.
As a matter of fact, I take note that Disability inclusion is important in ensuring Persons with Disability can access their fundamental rights and principles through their full participation
as provided for by the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), Constitution of Kenya 2010, the Disabilities Act
2003 and other related legislations in the country.
Moreover, CRPD doesn’t create new rights for persons with disabilities but reaffirms existing ones with concrete guidance on how to honor and uphold those rights.
CRPD encourages political participation to consult people with disabilities and ensure their participation.
I observe, Often Kenyans with disabilities are unaware they have a right to participate, and communities may at first be reluctant to believe they can make contributions. This is why disability leagues have started to function and exist towards elections period and later die till next election.
On the other hand, there is still hope since some persons with disabilities and a few disability leagues have started to walk the talk.
Some of persons with disabilities have proven this my wrong like Martin Wanyonyi the Ndivisi ward representative who is poised to win the Webuye East Member of parliament, Honorable Janet Teya who wants to recapture her Kajiado women representative position, and TimothyWanyonyi Wetangula who is currently of Westland Member of parliament and aspiring governor of Nairobi.
Additionally, Timothy Aseka nominated member assembly of Kakamega has greatly influenced and implemented policies in Kakamega.
Several media reports have shown how honorable Mwaura and Sankok have literally contributed to the mainstream national politics and this should be embraced although they should remember to bring the cows back home. as disability sausage media we affirm participation helps build confidence and advocacy skills. Once aware, people with disabilities can be powerful advocates for positive change. Such participation will contribute to gains in poverty reduction, human rights achievement, and improvements in other development outcomes.

What are the disability commitments developed or made by the disability league leaders?
Is there any political party which has a comprehensive manifesto commitment on disability?
For instance:
Which political party has made financial support towards reasonable accommodation and supporting candidates with disabilities?
Which political Party has made commitments to appoint Kenyans with disabilities to positions of influence at the national and county level?
e.g., appointment in state agencies, parastatals/institutions at both levels. Which political party or disability league has Provide accessible policies and alternative communication modes during party primaries? Which disability league has ensured political party has made a specific commitment for a specific disability budget allocation and commitment to conduct a disability survey?
Are Kenyans with disabilities satisfied by the check boxing exercise done by all political parties?

As a public policy scholar, I opine that the disability league leaders must now think beyond getting the positions and guarantee meaningful participation and engagement of the larger majority of persons with disabilities.
Allot of efforts have been invested by Mzalendo watch, Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD), national democratic institute to build capacities of disability leagues, grooming of aspirants with disabilities and development of minimum standards.
Its high time disability league madders moved from the box to outside the box by making sure the serious commitments are being made by political parties.as disability sausage media we believe Disability league leaders must now rethink their approach to disability political influences. Disability leagues should come up with key demand for there political parties which will bring the aspirations and make dreams of persons with disabilities a reality. These demands should be made in public for easy accountability and transparency.
Disability league should borrow a leaf from Crown trust who have developed an inclusive chatter of demands to both state and non-state actors.
This is to say live no one behind and the Oliver statement “nothing about us with out us”
How can a human rights-based approach be used to address disability? What type of political inclusion support can best advance implementation of the CRPD?

Kenyan legal frameworks:
The CRPD elaborates the right to participate in political and public life in the context of disability. It specifies certain measures to be taken to ensure
that PWDs can effectively and fully participate in political and public life on an equal basis with others.

Article 29 provides the rights of PWDs participation in political and public life as follows;

(i) The right and opportunity to vote and be elected.

(ii) Stand for elections and to hold office and perform all public functions at all levels of government

(iii) Effective and full participation of persons with disabilities in political and public life on an equal basis with others, directly or through freely
chosen representatives

(iv) Participation in the activities and administration of political parties.

2) The Constitution of Kenya

Article 38 of the constitution provides for the political rights of every Kenyan as follows:

Every citizen is free to make political choices, which includes the right

(i) to form, or participate in forming a political party;

(ii) to participate in the activities of, or recruit members for, a political party; or

(iii) to campaign for a political party or cause.

Every citizen has the right to free, fair and regular elections based on universal suffrage and the free expression of the will of the electors for

(a) any elective public body or office established under this Constitution; or

(b) any office of any political party of which the citizen is a member.

Every adult citizen has the right, without unreasonable restrictions, --

(i) to be registered as a voter.

(ii) to vote by secret ballot in any election or referendum; and

(iii) to be a candidate for public office, or office within a political party of which the citizen is a member and, if elected, to hold office.

Article 7 recognizes sign language, braille and other communication accessible to PWDs as part of the official languages.

Article 27 (4) prohibits direct or indirect discrimination against any person on any ground, including disability.

Article 54 entitles a person disability to be treated with dignity and respect and to access public information, to use sign language or braille or other
means of communication and to access materials

Article 97(1) (c) requires twelve nominees to the National Assembly to be PWDs.

Article 98 (1) (d) requires two nominees to the Senate to be PWDs.

Article 177 (1) (c) specifically provides for the nomination of PWDs to County Assemblies.

The Political Parties Act, 2011

Section 7 (2) (c) of the Act requires political parties to have their governing body that reflects the representation of minorities and marginalized groups.

Political parties are required to respect the right of all persons to participate in the political process, including minorities and marginalized groups.

The Act establishes the Political Parties Fund, whose 30% should be used to promote representation in Parliament and the County Assemblies, of the special
interest groups.
The Elections Act Cap 24 of 2011

Provides that; Every political party is required to make the nomination rules and procedures accessible with specific considerations to members with disabilities.

Each Party List should also include nominees to represent PWDs and workers and any other special interests to the Parliament.

5) Persons with Disabilities Act (2003)

Provides for the rights of PWDs to get involved in the activities of political parties, to campaign and to be elected and even form their party.

Section 29 (1) states that persons with disabilities are entitled at their request, to assisted voting.
Political party amendments 2022 is silent on issues of persons with disabilities.
Our plea to political parties:
:
Experience shows that the most substantial gains are made when political parties change the way disability is internally defined and understood, when they commit to approaching disability from a human rights-based perspective rather than an impairment-based one, and when the empowerment and support of disability leagues is central to their strategy. Ultimately, all political parties’ policies and programs should reflect the principles of the CRPD: inherent dignity, non-discrimination, effective inclusion, respect for differences, equal opportunity, accessibility, gender equality and respect for the evolving capacities of children with disabilities.

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The six short briefs for enduring a marvelous day Author Mugambi Paul

Posted on April 10, 2022 by admin01

We all have those super busy days and sometimes just thinking about them makes us feel exhausted. But fret not! We’ll talk about different fantastic tips that you can apply in order for you to stay ahead of those upcoming fully loaded days. Moreover, tips here are largely from my experience. I hope they could be of help to individuals who are trying to navigate how to manage a super day of events and activities.
1. Wake up and start early
There’s no denying that starting your day early helps make you more productive. Getting up early means you’ll be able to achieve a lot of stuff before anyone else. And you probably know by now that many successful people wake up early and start finishing important tasks while a lot of people are still sleeping.
By the time folks start their day, you’ve already done so much, giving you a positive boost, making you feel fulfilled and helping you stay motivated. Who doesn’t want that?
2. Create a to-do list the day
Some people take this for granted and if you’re one of them, it’s time to utilize and take advantage of this activity.
You can use a planner or notebook for this if you prefer writing your to-do list by hand. But if you don’t have one, you can download a mobile app that allows you to type your to-do list instead,
Not only can you lie down and relax while doing so, you also get the chance to plan your upcoming day and prioritize and work out what order to do things in, etc.
Whether you prefer to write this down or type this up, it’s nice to know you don’t have to stress about forgetting something because you’ve taken the time to create your to-do list.

3. Break down large tasks and projects into smaller ones
Have you ever felt overwhelmed by large tasks and projects? We’ve all been there. For instance:
• Freaking out about a big task which you know requires a lot of effort and hard work
• Stressing out about a challenging task that makes you feel uncomfortable, forcing you to step outside of your usual comfort zone
Here’s the thing: It’s normal to feel intimidated but you don’t have to let negative emotions get in the way.
The next time you feel that something is hard and not possible, remind yourself that IT’S POSSIBLE. Stay calm and turn those large tasks into bite-sized ones.
You can also ask for help! You don’t have to stay miserable and figure everything out on your own. Allow yourself to reach out to others for guidance, assistance and supervision.

4. Keep things clean and tidy
When you’ve got a lot on your plate, there’s nothing worse than scrambling through tons of paper and junk just to look for that post-it note you made the other week.
On that note, being organized makes it way easier to look for certain stuff and helps you save time and check everything off your to-do list. And who doesn’t want that to happen?

5. Take breaks from time to time
Some people don’t take regular breaks and continue pushing themselves until they finish everything. Don’t be one of them! It’s going to hurt your health and your productivity is going to suffer.
Taking regular breaks in between tasks is very important. It lets you breathe and gives you time to destress and slow down. Don’t feel guilty and don’t hesitate to make room for self-care.
You need that nap, that cup of coffee or that walk to clear your head. Do whatever you need to feel better and get back on track. You’ll achieve so much more and avoid feeling burned out when you do so.

6. Don’t take on more work than you can handle
Saying no can be hard at times. But not doing so will backfire and make you feel miserable.
If you’re already busy, don’t feel the need to take on more work than you can handle. It’s better to be honest with your feelings and tell people you can’t help them.
And while trying to be nice isn’t a bad thing, remind yourself that it becomes toxic if it affects you in a negative way. So, practice self-love and don’t say yes when you want to say no.
Don’t be a people pleaser and don’t downplay the benefits of saying no and overestimate the benefits of saying yes. Saying NO is good for you. Don’t forget that.

You Can Master Your Long Day!
It’s definitely a challenge to get on top and stay on top of everything when you have a lot on your plate these days. With that said, feel free to practice and apply the tips above to help you stay ahead of super busy days.

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11 must do Customs to Help You Start Building Your Self-Esteem Author Mugambi Paul

Posted on March 29, 2022 by admin01

Self-esteem, in a nutshell, is your view and love for yourself – no matter the circumstance or predisposition. Your opinion, overall sense of personal value and self worth may be low, high, or somewhere in between.
While everyone has concerns about themselves, low self-esteem can leave you feeling insecure and unmotivated. Fortunately, there are practical things you can do to build it.

11 customs You Can Start Building Your Self-Esteem
1. Avoid comparing yourself to others
The reality of life is that someone will always be smarter, wealthier, more attractive, more successful, etc. than you. If browsing on social media leaves you not feeling good about yourself, make it a goal to decrease the time you spend on social media, go on a social media detox or completely stop using it at all if possible.
Comparisons steal our joy and make us jealous of other people’s accomplishments, triumphs and celebrations.
If you feel inferior because someone else is making more money than you, got married overseas and other reasons that triggered feelings of envy, jealousy, etc., it’s time to break the comparison cycle by avoiding doing things that will make you feel inferior and not good enough.
Also, remind yourself that self growth needs a little more patience and kindness on your part.

2. Mastering a new skill
You increase your sense of competence as you become professional or good at something. Imagine how you will feel if you are better at something than people around you. You will be admired and respected for your knowledge and skills, which can be a great self-esteem booster.

3. Listing your achievements
We all have days when we feel extra insecure and anxious, but that doesn’t make us less of a person. Negative and unwanted emotions like these are part of human nature. During difficult days, it’s hard to be positive; but this is also a time to be gentle to yourself and look for ways to make you feel better, like listing your achievements.
Think about all your accomplishments and all the things you were proud of. Write them down and check your list every time you’re feeling not good enough to remind you that you’re capable and have what it takes to attain your goals. This one has worked miracles on part of me as a disability sausage maker, I din’t know the power of this custom.

4. Do something creative
A perfect way to bring some beats and rhythm back into your life is by doing creative tasks.
The brain is motivated by imagination; the more you do it, the bigger the gains. When you realize how much you can do and your ability to learn, you will become more secure in yourself. This is the part of me especially writing articles, music poems and also twitting how things could be thus sometimes a friend has labeled me a prophet who sees beyond today.

5. Change your mindset
Your mind is your greatest asset, and it should be treasured. Change your mindset and stop yourself anytime you find your mind thinking poorly about yourself. Strive to find the roots of each negative thought that crosses your mind and try methods that rid yourself of thoughts that are holding you back. Feeding your mind with positivity creates the uniqueness and brings power in you.

6. Go far and beyond your comfort zone
Robin Sharma once said, "As you move outside of your comfort zone, what was once the unknown and frightening becomes your new normal."
Persuade yourself to go outside your comfort zone and reach your potential. Get uncomfortable and try something new - meet different people, challenge yourself or try approaching a situation in a different manner than you would normally.
Dare to go beyond and leave your comfort zone to see how far you can go. Becoming daring and trying to put yourself out there will benefit you in one way or another. Circumstances have forced me to do this, when you find yourself, you can’t even cross a road as a blind person or when you want to shop and you don’t have your normal supply or support system around.

7. Support somebody and become a mentor
Support someone in need by lending a helping hand or becoming a shoulder they can cry on whenever you can. Let them know they are not alone. Always remember that you don’t need to do big things to change the world.
The seemingly little things you do could go a long way!
• Inspiring someone to take necessary actions to achieve their goals
• Showing them how to do things better
• Providing them a new perspective in their current situations
• Listening to their problems with full attention, especially when they need it most
Helping a few people in need might not change the world entirely, but it could change their world. And when they show appreciation for the things you do for them, it has a profound effect on the way you think about yourself and helps you find more meaning into your life.
For anyone who wants your help, your leadership, and your encouragement, be there! Their respect and appreciation will contribute to your self-esteem. I have found myself being in practice of this severally and I have uplifted many individuals who may have wanted to give up and they find solace in what I share with them.

8. Avoid trying to care about what people say
Make a strong commitment to cease worrying about what others might think. Follow the advice of Dr. Seuss and be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter, and those who matter don’t mind.
I have learnt to live with this reality and thus do what am supposed to do.
9. Let go of pessimistic people
If there are negative people in your life who rain on your parade, you will feel drained and exhausted more often because they can suck the life out of you and make you feel insecure and bad about yourself.
They may have nothing good to say, may be intentionally putting you down, or could be taking advantage of you. Letting go of such people and influence is the right thing to do for your peace of mind and sanity.
In the current situation I have learnt in the process how to dispose individuals with out regrets as the way it used to be.
10. Accepting failures as a part of growth
You failed at something because you tried and that’s better than not trying at all. Bear in mind that failure still means you are making an effort. If Thomas Alva Edison had given up any one of those 999 times, we would not have had the light bulb on his thousandth attempt!
Remember that it’s a normal reaction to get disheartened by failure. But being harsh on yourself is not the right way to go about it. When you fail, use it as an opportunity to change your thinking, realizing that loss is a chance to improve.
Hang in there and don’t give up because it’s possible to turn pain and heartbreak into passion, strength and wisdom. When you use your mistakes to better yourself, you get new perspectives that will help you eventually regain your momentum.
Also, don’t forget to remind yourself that you are stronger than you are giving yourself credit for.

11. Be a student
Always remain a student and have a Shoshin, or "beginner's mind". This is an attitude that helps you to approach anything you do with a student's mindset. Shoshin will prompt you to learn something like a beginner would: open, ready, impartial, unprejudiced.
I believe every one has something to offer.

Drawing Strength from These Self-Esteem Building Techniques
These 11 customs to better self-esteem are not mere ingredients that make up a formula or course of action; they are each a source of power too. The moment you decide you want to do something that would make you value yourself more, you are on your way to empowerment!

♥️👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👌

12 Warning Signs of Covert Narcissism Author Mugambi Paul

Posted on March 20, 2022 by admin01

Not every narcissist is the loud, boisterous one in the room vying for everyone’s attention with their grandiose stories of accomplishments. Sometimes there are covert narcissists who fly under the radar, but they still have some exaggerated needs for admiration.
Perhaps you wonder sometimes about someone in your life or maybe an ex. Could they be a covert narcissist? This article will help you understand covert narcissism better, as well as how to contend with one.

What is Narcissism?
Narcissism is a personality disorder, known better as narcissistic personality disorder (NPD). Common traits of someone struggling with NPD include:
• The need for an exceptional amount of admiration
• The need to feel incredibly important
• Consumed with fantasies about fame and boatloads of glory
• Grandiose boasting; If you’ve done it, they’ve done it too and better
• Feeling entitled
• Exploiting others
• Lacking compassion and empathy for others
• Obsessing about success, power, beauty, etc.

What is Covert Narcissism?
Covert means secret or under the radar. Whereas someone diagnosed with narcissistic personality disorder is considered to have overt characteristics, a covert narcissist has covert characteristics of narcissism. This means that the traits are more subtle and may not be as noticeable to others.
However, there are 12 signs of covert narcissism, including the following:
1. They’ll “love bomb” you in the beginning of a relationship.
Typically, one or both of you will feel an intense soulmate connection. They may boast about the intensity and act like they idealize you. They’re great at wooing others, but over time, some narcissistic traits will begin to surface, such as selfishness, passive aggressiveness, emotional abuse, and more.
2. They are insensitive to your needs.
They'll subtly disregard your needs, so you will feel less important. They may procrastinate on getting back to you, stand you up, not value your time, be late, or something else to make you feel small.
3. They confuse you.
Conversations or arguments will likely cause you to feel confused. You’ll be second-guessing yourself wondering if you’re literally going crazy. Your perceptions may indeed be correct, but they will try to manipulate the conversation to allow them to come across as correct.
4. They want compliments much of the time.
If they aren’t getting compliments, they may minimize themselves so that others might reassure them of how amazing they are.
5. You experience cognitive dissonance.
They say one thing, but do another, which is confusing. They may tell you stories of how amazing they are, but you’re not seeing that side of them. You have gut feeling something is off.
6. They have a desire to win.
It may not be that obvious, but it’s there. They may also have a tough time apologizing or admitting they are wrong.
7. A covert narcissist will slyly try to shame or blame you.
They may emotionally manipulate you so that you think something is your fault, while it was really their fault. They want you to feel less than.
8. They are stingy, unless of course, someone will praise them.
A covert narcissist will likely only give when they know there is something in it for them.
9. They're not emotionally available.
A covert narcissist may seem like they're more available emotionally, but over time you'll find out that they're not. There are too consumed with trying to get their own needs for admiration met.
10. They may stonewall you, which means they ignore and refuse to talk to you.
Typically, it’s because they are intentionally trying to manipulate or control you.
11. They are passive aggressive.
12. They may have a “woe is me attitude”, playing on your empathy.
They could play the pity card, so every time you come around, they you come around, they complain about how hard things are for them, trying to get sympathy.

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5 Tips To Help You Worry Less About What Others Think of You! Author Mugambi Paul

Posted on March 12, 2022 by admin01

Have you ever just sat and watched and listened toddlers play? How free they seem to feel?

I love watching their excitement, their innocence, creativity, and their ability to just play without really caring about what others think of them.

As we grow up, the tendency to put weight on other’s opinions of us increases. Sure, it’s all right to want to behave in ways that are acceptable to others. Our parents and society teach us that good manners and doing the “right” things are important.

But it’s easy to get caught up in fretting and worrying about what others think about us. In fact, some people expend a lot of energy trying very hard to be seen as this way or that way by others, especially through social media.

I grew up in a time where computers and the internet were comming up on the scene. Still, I felt the pull the care A LOT about how others perceived me. I can’t even imagine how challenging it may be for the youth to grow up these days in the world of social media.

I spent much of my life a people-pleaser. In my younger years, I cared far too much about what others thought, to the effect that it had a negative effect on my decisions.

But life always gives us an opportunity to work out the psyche kinks. When my inner pain got great enough, and I was plum exhausted from trying to find worth in the valuation of others, I started learning how to worry less about others, and more about my own self-worth.

It’s all right to care about what others think of you, but not let it completely control your thoughts and actions.

Do you struggle with worry about what others think of you? How they view you?

Here are some tips to help you overcome the tendency to care too much about others' opinions.

1. Realize most people aren’t really thinking about you.

You ever think this?

“Someone might think I’m weird.”

How about this one:

“I want him/her to like me.”

We think these thoughts and act accordingly sometimes, even if we don’t particularly want to.

We often think others are staring at us or thinking about us continually, but in reality they’re not. They’re just not. They are probably busy thinking of their own lives and their own issues. One way you can worry less about what others think of you is to accept the reality that not EVERYONE is thinking of you or judging you. as a blind fellow it used to disturb me!

2. Believe in yourself.

I know this may be hard to accept for some people, but what you believe about yourself is more important than what others think of you. If you base your self-esteem on others opinions of you, you will be in for an emotional roller-coaster ride.

It’s true that people are not always gracious. Some family members or work acquaintances might think you’re a loser or weird or too this or too that. So what? Let their thoughts just float on by you. Accept who you are, whether they do or not.

If someone criticizes you, take a moment to ponder the criticism. If the criticism is justified (you did not finish your work project in time due to being irresponsible or lazy), then own up to it, apologize, and do better next time.

If the criticism is not justified, (you are accused of being greedy because you have a lot of money in savings), you can simply say, “Thank you for your thoughts on that,” and simply move on. You know the criticism is false, but you don’t have to go on a tangent trying to prove them wrong.

3. Practice reciting positive affirmations.

Allowing others to control your feelings based on what they think of you can feel like prison. You can stay free from that prison by practicing positive affirmations daily.

Write down all sorts of good things about you and speak them out loud daily. Say them even if you don’t really believe them about you. The more you say them, the more likely they will become part of your life. Then, no matter what others think, you will be able to stand tall and proud.
this has really assisted me when I list expect or when I feel grounded.

4. Embrace authenticity

To be authentic means to be who you are – all of you. Embrace your positive and not-so-positive traits. Love your whole self. This doesn’t give you license to be cruel or stay stuck in some negative patterns. However, it does give you permission to love and accept who you are right now along your journey.

5. Don’t judge others.

Do you make it a habit to judge others? If so, think about how it feels when people judge you. It doesn’t feel great. Let others be who they are right where they are on their journey and focus more on you.

Decreasing self-consciousness or worrying about what others think of you takes practice.

You may not always be able to just blow it off. That’s alright. I still find myself concerned at times about what others will think of my writing or what I’m wearing. But I don’t let it keep me from writing what I desire and wearing what I want.

And, I don’t let those fears or insecurities stay in my mind.

Practice caring more about what YOU think. Do your best to accept your whole self, quirks and all. Then, extend that grace to others.
Join us in the disability sausage YouTube channel for much mouthwatering articles
The views expressed here are for the author and do not represent any agency or organization.
Mugambi Paul is a public policy, diversity, inclusion and sustainability expert.
Australian Chief Minister Award winner
“Excellence of making inclusion happen”

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Ten commandments for attracting candidates with disabilities in to your organization. Author Mugambi Paul

Posted on March 4, 2022 by admin01

An estimated 1 billion people around the world have a disability. We
know that all too often, people with disabilities face appalling stigma,
discrimination and abuse. We know that people with disabilities are often
excluded from opportunities, so do not achieve their potential. We know
that our societies miss out.
But in too many cases, we do not know the scale of the challenge, where
the gaps are, and where more needs to be done. We do not know where
children with disabilities are missing out on the chance to go to school, or
where people are unable to access work. For too long, public and private sector have been claiming not being able to recruit persons with disabilities.
Where persons with disabilities do exist, they often remain hidden and unused. While this
is happening, people with disabilities will continue to be excluded, and we
will be left with a critical development gap.

You want more people with disabilities in your Public and private sector but they are not applying! What can you do to encourage more participation? Here's 10 traditions to boost interest.
This list is not exhaustive, it is based from my 17-experiential learning band the broader believe that persons with disability deserve to be on the table not just on the menu.

1) Add Promotional Messages and Welcoming Language
Not only will it catch their attention, but it may shift someone away from thinking "It's not for me." Examples include:

“We encourage people with disabilities and from other diverse backgrounds to apply. We do not discriminate based on disability.”
“We provide reasonable accommodations as needed to people with disabilities.”
“Our materials are available in alternative formats (braille, electronic, large print, etc.) upon request.”
"Our office is wheelchair-accessible."
"Our participants reflect a wide range of socioeconomic, cultural and religious affiliations, including people with disabilities."
Recruitment materials such as brochures, websites and posters should include images of people with disabilities, and, if possible, quotes by participants with disabilities who have participated successfully. A picture and/or quote from an exchange participant who uses a wheelchair or a white cane sends a powerful message to potential applicants, parents, school administrators, leaders in the disability community, and others, that students with disabilities are welcome to participate and have successful experiences.

2) Broaden Media Resources
Solicit stories from the participants and staff with disabilities involved in the program and disseminate and include their stories in your organization’s websites, brochures, social media, newsletters and other media that is used for all audiences. Include disability print and social media sites on distribution lists for program outreach and application deadlines.
For example, light for the world had a story of the disability advisor Jane Waithera.
3) Network with Local, Regional and National Organizations
Identifying contacts at organizations that are led by and work with people with disabilities is essential to recruiting and accommodating participants with disabilities in public and private sectors.

University disability services offices, local charity agencies centers, rehabilitation organizations, adaptive recreation programs, parents’ organizations, special education departments or schools, public policy think tanks like disability sausage media, disability rights organizations and support groups are critical sources of knowledge and support.

Doing personal outreach and in-person presentations/advising with potential applicants at these organizations makes a difference.
4) Provide Scholarships
Financial assistance is one of the best tools for encouraging the participation of populations usually underrepresented. Offer scholarships specifically for people with disabilities.

Also ensure broader scholarships and fellowships are awarded to a diversity of applicants. Educate the scholarship review committee about these diversity expectations.

When sending out materials about broader scholarship or fellowships, point out to school administrators, overseas advisors, and employers that those with disabilities are encouraged to apply and will be accommodated. Until program recruiters inform them otherwise, some may never think to encourage people with disabilities to consider a prestigious opportunity.
For example, the Different talented society of Kenya in collaboration with national industrial institute are working with support from Australian government to ensure Autistic persons are enrolled.

5) Utilize Peer and Family Connections
Offer to put individuals with disabilities who are considering applying in contact with program alumni with disabilities. For young people with disabilities, their parents often play a larger role in their lives for a longer period of time. If your program materials or connections with alumni’s parents can convince the parent that this is a worthwhile experience, you may have a better chance of the person with the disability participating in your program.

Make time to talk with the potential participant and their parent during the early phases of recruitment. When answers to questions about accessibility or safety in the global south are unknown, say, “I’ve never been asked that question, but I am going to find out for you. I do know that students with all types of disabilities have participated in this program."

6) Promote Disability Inclusion as an Organizational Value
Convey the message that your organization values diversity and inclusion. Program administrators should foster a commitment to including people with disabilities at all levels of their organization, and should work with international organizations and affiliated organizations to provide accessible program design and develop policies that support inclusion. For example, the Australian government has broad commitments and developed disability strategies and policies. Which are emulated by CBM Australia, Fred hollows etc.

7) Budget for Reasonable Accommodations
Many organizations are concerned about the cost of making programs accessible to people with disabilities, so incorporating a "disability accommodation" line item into every project and administrative budget is the most reliable way to ensure that resources are there when needed (1-3% of program costs is usually adequate). Contact Humanity & Inclusion to share best practices.

Also have outreach materials and applications ready (or know where you can get them) in accessible formats. People with disabilities may be more willing to apply if they know of an organization’s commitment to support inclusive participation.

8) Train Staff and Volunteers
Ensure that disability-inclusive policies are communicated to all staff members and volunteers in an organization. Interaction with an unsupportive or uninformed staff member can negate otherwise positive recruitment efforts.

People who are involved in any aspect of promoting the organization’s programs—whether answering phones, attending conferences, giving community presentations or other public relations activities—should be prepared to answer questions about the program’s policy on including people with disabilities. This is in reference to customer care and marketing agencies.

A positive attitude is perhaps the best recruitment tool an organization can have.

9) Provide Equal Access to the Screening and Selection Process
Most international programs use sophisticated techniques for screening applicants for eligibility based on qualifications. Programs need to be careful, for legal and ethical reasons, not to screen out qualified applicants because of their disabilities and perceived limitations.

The selection process must be accessible for persons with disabilities and reasonable and appropriate accommodations must be provided to ensure that people with disabilities have fair and equal opportunities to demonstrate their qualifications.

It is appropriate to discuss what accommodations the individual might need to participate in the program only AFTER the participant has been accepted, for example, on a health form that is given to all accepted participants.

10) Diversify Staff and Volunteers
Create a position within the organization that focuses on increasing the diversity of staff, administrators, volunteers and program participants. Fill staff and volunteer positions with qualified individuals who add diversity. Staff members who have disabilities, like people from other minority backgrounds, can bring expertise and perspectives that increase an organization’s capacity to be inclusive.

A person with a disability on a recruiting committee can provide excellent problem-solving insights and help identify other useful contacts.

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Should Meaningful Participation of persons with disabilities in electoral processes become the irreducible minimum for young democracies? Author Mugambi Paul

Posted on February 28, 2022 by admin01

In 2020, as the world shut down to insulate against COVID-19, a disturbing side effect of the pandemic began quietly taking root in some corners of the world: democratic backsliding and growing autocracies.
Fortunately, While the news worries freedom lovers everywhere, democracy seem to rebound since some governments have lifted their health restrictions. While some nations have seen a significant deterioration of freedoms during the past 18 months, the pandemic’s direct impact on the vitality of democracy itself has so far been limited. While some may wonder if advocates exaggerate the degree to which COVID-19 restrictions have eroded democracy, V-Dem’s report shows that even the smallest declines in freedom are troublesome, because most autocracies develop in a predictable manner—beginning with restrictions on media, academic freedom and civil society. Then governments promote polarization among their own citizens with disinformation campaigns via social media before moving on to blatant disrespect and intolerance for opposing political views. And that’s when more visible attacks on democracy become apparent, which makes less inconspicuous activities, like the government’s attitude towards journalists, reliable indicators of democratic health.
Another example is from the global south nations like Kenya,
This is where the president in collaboration with the opposition leader the so-called brothers were able to sponge of the national assembly at both parliament and senate for those who din’t tore the line.

Nevertheless, Democratic elections provide an opportunity for citizens to put in place the governments and representatives of their choice. The ultimate hope for citizens in this process is that the representatives elected propagate laws and policies to alleviate their situation. This makes elections particularly important for traditionally marginalized groups, such as persons with disabilities.
As disability sausage media we argue that democracy doesn’t work without full and effective citizen engagement. This is to say public participation has been badly compromised by malign influence and disinformation—mostly from foreign regimes such as Russia and China. Evidence shows people stepping out all over the place. Coupled with repressive governments cracking down in, frankly, new and sophisticated, and dangerous ways.
Additionally, With the weakening of democracy, corruption is also on the rise, working hand in hand, feeding on weakened institutions, and fundamentally unjust systems of power.
While one of the key tenets of democratic elections is equal opportunity to exercise the right to vote and be elected, Kenyans with disabilities continue to be excluded from this process.

Moreover, the right to political participation for persons with disabilities is protected in regional and international human rights instruments such as the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities that Kenya is a signatory to, as well as the Kenyan constitution. This notwithstanding, the participation of persons with disabilities in the Kenyan electoral processes, both as voters, officials and candidates, has indeed been on the decline. The number of representatives vying for elected office who openly identified as a person with a disability declined during the 2017 general election, in comparison to the 2013 elections. Currently, several county assemblies have no members with disabilities, despite the clear provision for disability quotas in the constitution. This situation has been attributed to a number of factors including stigma and discrimination against persons with disabilities, inaccessibility of electoral processes and materials, undemocratic party processes, and electoral violence, among others.

Persons with disabilities, Organizations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs) independent institutions like the Kenya national human rights commission and civil societies, can play a key role in changing the current situation through concerted advocacy initiatives to mitigate the challenges identified above. For persons with disabilities and their organizations to effectively undertake this kind of advocacy, collection of information on the participation of persons with disabilities through the process of election observation is an important tool.
The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD)
With Kenya being a signatory to the CRPD, the government is obligated to ensure the full participation of persons with disabilities in political and public life on an equal basis with others including the right and opportunity to vote and be elected. The government is obligated to take measures including; i) Ensuring that voting procedures, facilities and materials are appropriate, accessible and easy to understand and use; ii) Protecting right to vote by secret ballot in elections and public referendums without intimidation, to stand for elections and to effectively hold office and perform all public functions at all levels of government; iii) Facilitating the use of assistive and new technologies; iv) Guaranteeing the free expression of the will of persons with disabilities as electors, where necessary, at their request, allowing assistance in voting by a person of their own choice.

The Constitution of Kenya
One of the principles of Kenya's electoral system is fair representation of persons with disabilities. The constitution provides for progressive implementation of the principle that at least five percent of the members of the public in elective and appointive bodies are persons with disabilities. It further provides for affirmative action quotas for persons with disabilities in the national assembly, senate and county assemblies. The constitution obligates the state to develop laws to promote representation of marginalized groups including persons with disabilities, in elective bodies.

Elections Act
The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC or the Commission) is required to put in place appropriate infrastructure including special voting booths, and have in each polling station such officers as the Commission considers necessary to facilitate voting. Out of the eight candidates for marginalized groups party lists to county assemblies, at least two of them shall be persons with disabilities. Further, party lists shall prioritize persons with disabilities, youth, and any other candidate representing marginalized groups.

Political Parties Act
The Political Parties Act requires: I) party membership to reflect regional and ethnic diversity, gender balance and representation of minorities and marginalized groups; ii) composition of governing bodies to reflect regional and ethnic diversity, gender balance and representation of minorities and marginalized groups; iii) parties to respect the right of all persons to participate in the political process including youth, minorities and marginalized groups; iv) political parties funding – 30% to go towards promoting the participation of marginalized groups.

Among the key actors in our democratic processes, political parties are often put forward as one of the most important, though decreasing trust and membership figures are often portrayed as major concerns. In numerous county and ward, however, party membership figures have been falling since the 2000, and anti-establishment movements have already played a significant role in many counties and ward level for several years. What is the role of political parties in Kenyan elections and political processes today and in the future, and what impact does this have on our democracies? What can be done to strengthen the position of political parties in the democratic dialogue (or are there other forms of entities that can take over the role of political parties)?
All in all, Democracy is not simply about a process or an election. It’s a culture that has to be developed [and] re-energized by the citizens of every generation … This is the challenge of our time. We observe, there are authoritarian opportunists who want to prey on those who are frustrated, or concerned about the course of democracy. And they’re willing to get out there and use our moments of weakness to gain advantage. We can’t let that happen.
Join us in the disability sausage YouTube channel for much mouthwatering articles
The views expressed here are for the author and do not represent any agency or organization.
Mugambi Paul is a public policy, diversity, inclusion and sustainability expert.
Australian Chief Minister Award winner
“Excellence of making inclusion happen”

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Open letter to the new Board members of NCPWD! Will you drift or you will have the new disability Policy shift? Author Mugambi Paul

Posted on February 20, 2022 by admin01

Kenya ratified the UNCRPD in 2008. Disability rights are provided under Kenya’s 2010 constitution and the 2003 Persons with Disabilities Act, amongst others.
Some individual counties have their own disability legislation. The Ministry of public service, senior citizen and special programmes has the mandate to promote and
protect the rights of persons with disabilities. The National Council for Persons with Disabilities is charged with follow up and enforcement of the law.
The Kenya National Survey carried out in 2007 estimated that Kenya had a population of about 4.6M
PWDs
While in 2019 census the numbers went don up to 918000 this is duet to various reasons coupled with the disability sector disagreements. The Washington group of questionnaires were included in the census questionnaire. The As a public policy scholar, I opine statistic is an entry point to get gender, age demographic
disaggregated
data
on
PWDs
which helps in policy
development, planning, budgeting and service provision which is
a
starting
point on inclusion.
Why the Disability policy shift in Kenya?
IN KENYA, most disability related policies are never enforced or executed. For instance, it’s now almost 15 years since the draft disability policy has been lining in government offices.
Studies show that
Kenya
has
a
draft
policy on Persons
with Disabilities which was
approved
by
Cabinet
in
2006.
Unfortunately, as promised and the validation workshop on 25th
June
2015 never took place. Will this draft disability policy be executed in 2024?
Only time will tell.
Another example is the In
recognition
that about 46%
of
all Kenyan’s
live
below the
poverty line. Kenyans with disabilities are more likely to be living in poverty than people without disabilities. Moreover, persons with disabilities have been negatively affected by COVID-19 and the responses to it, many of which have not been disability
inclusive.
This is to say Poverty and disability go hand in hand creating a cycle of inequality, isolation and exclusion that leads to the most extreme forms of poverty. Unfortunately, doesn’t have to be this way.

Kenya has developed a Social
Protection assistance policy 2013. The
policy
which is controversially discriminatory since the social protection programme just targets persons with severe disabilities
a
priority
group for furthermore, social protection, aims at cushioning citizens against the ravages of poverty.
Additionally in an effort to promote inclusion, the
Government of Kenya has set up a disability
specific fund, (the National Development Fund
(NDF) as envisaged int eh PWD act 2003 for PWDs) which is aimed at promoting
business entrepreneurship for Persons with
Disabilities, access to assistive devices and
training
 This fund is also complimented by the National
Fund for the Disabled of Kenya (NFDK). The fund
supports PWDs for empowerment programmes. The success and of these two programmes is still a drop in the ocean for many persons with disabilities.
On the other hand, Available evidence suggests that people with disabilities struggle to find work, especially paid work.
people with disabilities in urban areas, are more likely to find paid work than the rural folks. Most persons with disabilities are self-employed.
They often lack financial literacy, management skills, and willingness to take risks to grow their business. Their struggle to find employment is as a
result of barriers. What are the barriers Kenyans with disabilities experience?
They include inadequate enforcement mechanisms of relevant policies by the Government; failure to consider persons with disabilities on an impartial basis
when hiring; poor infrastructure and difficult terrain in rural areas; stiff competition in the open labour market to the disadvantage of persons with
disabilities; people with disabilities’ limited education and training; inaccessible workplaces and lack of accessible communication; and the need for
reasonable accommodation. As disability sausage media we admit as true Employer attitudes are a key barrier to employment.
As disability sausage media we believe the 2 programmes need to be merged for better service delivery and promote accountability and transparency.
We should not be surprised when these funds kitty will be solidified by the Kenyan treasury and there will be no more taps to the NCPWD and NFDK.
This is in line with the consolidation of all enterprise funds by the government in to one entity and managed at treasury building.
Will the disability sector speak out or will the policy shift be embraced?
Several assumptions will ries.
One theNCPWD will have to change its focus either become a monitoring and evaluating agency on disability
matters or it becomes a punching bag by the disability sector.
Of course, the believe by persons with disabilities that the N
NCPWD is the messiah makes it controversial.as disability sausage we hold the thought that when disability mainstreaming will be embraced as a tool for everyone it will be the realization of grater inclusion.
Will the repealing of the persons with disability act take place in 2022?
Of course, we should await in 20223 to be certain.
This is affirmed by the 20 attempts which have been made by different stakeholders in Kenya.
The promise by his excellency president Uhuru in 3rd December 2021 still remains a pipedream. or will Parliament surprise the Kenyans with disabilities?
the jury is out there!
What are the impediments of the current act? Getorization of all services by one entity with out adapting the mainstreaming approach.
Lack of enforcement. Lack of capacity and lowly resourced entity.
All in all, The National Council for Persons with Disabilities (NCPWD) was established under the Persons with Disabilities Act and is charged with follow up and enforcement
of the law and formulating and developing measures and policies designed to achieve equal opportunities for persons with disabilities
there are several cakes to be chosen and eaten.
The challenge remains which way the new boar members

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The joy of citizen Engagement! Why Kenyan public Scholars are heading to the moon. Author Mugambi Paul

Posted on February 15, 2022 by admin01

Having the Kenyan constitution is a blessing in disguise.
This is to say, if well implemented actually Kenyan citizens can enjoy being Kenyan than ever before.
Since time in memorial most Kenyan duty bearers have been conducting policy development and designs behind closed doors and chosen few. But this is not the case anymore.
As a public policy scholar, I observe this is a strong wave of change which will ensure more citizens are engaged and able to participate in policy and development designs. Fundamental to any consideration of citizen engagement in policymaking and the design of public services is the recognition that the citizens in a democracy have both rights and duties, and that democratic governance provides opportunities for citizens to participate actively in shaping their world. Such participation is effected in multiple ways and at various levels, from informal local and community settings, through incorporated entities, NGOs and peak bodies, to such key institutions as legislatures, the courts and the public service.
To put things differently, in many democracies, citizen participation in policymaking and service design has been debated or attempted, but too infrequently realized. There have been some notable achievements, in both advanced and developing countries, and there is abundant public policy literature advocating thoroughgoing collaboration. But genuine engagement in the ‘co-production’ of policy and services requires major shifts in the culture and operations of government agencies. It demands of public servants’ new skills as enablers, negotiators and collaborators. It demands of citizens an orientation to the public good, a willingness to actively engage, and the capabilities needed to participate and deliberate well. These are tall orders, especially if citizens are disengaged and certain groups like persons with disabilities within the population are marginalized.
This is premised by the upcoming general elections in Kenya.
Will this trend of public participation continue after the general elections?

he theory and practice of public policy is increasingly concerned with placing the citizen at the center of policymakers’ considerations, not just as target, but also as agent. The aim is to develop policies and design services that respond to individuals’ needs and are relevant to their circumstances. Concepts such ‘co-creation’ and ‘co-production’ have emerged to describe this systematic pursuit of sustained collaboration between government agencies, non-government organizations, communities and individual citizens. For instance, the Current executive director of the NCPWD has opened up the space for organization of persons with disabilities and there representatives on matters registration and how they can be engaged. Although we are yet to see the real outcomes.
On the other hand, politically speaking, most Kenyan political formations are based on personality not yet institutionalize.
Politicians have used political formation for elections and dump them after even after the labor and massive investment.
In other words, Kenya political seen every election we evidently seen new political formations as the case in 2022.
For instance, the current scoria is where the state has controlled and brought legislations in parliament which has claimed parties and now, we are headed to Collision formations. Obviously, the state never put in to consideration the party intrigues, participation of women, persons with disabilities and other minorities.
The new political party act 2021 is silent on nomination slots base on the collision pacts.
Why are women and persons with disabilities silent?
How will the IEBC resolve this elephant?
Fortunately, there is hope for public policy scholars since the execution of public policies and regulations are being conducted even without existence of policies.
This means that the political class have decided to go and hunt votes where citizens are.
They have started citizen participation and engagements. The adoption of a citizen-centric worldview in policymaking and service design is a manifestation of the fundamental commitment to citizens’ participation in governance that characterizes a democratic polity. At its broadest, the commitment is reflected in efforts by activists and political theorists to promote what has been variously labelled ‘deliberative’, ‘direct’ or ‘participatory’ democracy. At a more prosaic level, the commitment is reflected in the local and practical initiatives that various political formation in Kenya, and overseas, have pursued to ensure citizens’ involvement in decisions that affect them. Examples include such diverse matters as county economies, budget formulation, land management and health care.
Furthermore, through this public participation it will reduce having ghost projects, it will increase accountability and transparency.
This will also ensure the policy makers implement what citizens want not what they think should be done.
We have seen development of county economic forums by political formations this ideology is highly borrowed from China of which many African nations tend to be inclined.
It’s a great model since using local resources and support from the national government we might have county which might produce unique economic blueprints and industries without copying each other.

Another example, is on Participatory budgeting, this is evidenced by a study by the National democratic institute in collaboration with partners Town Hall Briefing on the National and county Government's 2021.
Actually, participatory Budget which is usually characterized by several basic design features: identification of spending priorities by community members, election of budget delegates to represent different communities, facilitation and technical assistance by government employees, national, county and ward level assemblies to deliberate and vote on spending priorities, and the implementation of local direct-impact community projects. As a public policy scholar, I harangue Participatory budgeting can be used by counties and wards in Kenya.
A significant consideration for governments’ engaging with citizens—and an unsurprising one—is that modern democratic states are highly complex affairs, inextricably connected to market economics (writ globally), and charged with the governance of societies that are increasingly pluralistic in terms of ethnic and mix, religious and cultural variety, to say nothing of the array of individual personal and political values that such diversity implies. This makes involving citizens in deliberation about governance and the design of policies and services no simple task. As the prominent theorist James Bohman bluntly states: ‘It is certainly true that current arrangements ... do not promote the sort of public deliberation that is needed in complex and pluralistic societies.
Additionally, for future, effective engagement by a citizen-centric public service and policy making will require political support for the genuine devolution of power and decision-making to frontline public servants and professionals—and to the citizens and stakeholders with whom they engage. Ministers and agency heads have a major leadership responsibility here.
Will Kenya Kwanza or Azimio Moja Blink first?
Join us in the disability sausage YouTube channel for much mouthwatering articles
The views expressed here are for the author and do not represent any agency or organization.
Mugambi Paul is a public policy, diversity, inclusion and sustainability expert.
Australian Chief Minister Award winner
“Excellence of making inclusion happen”

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President Uhuru remember “Disability sector in your last appointments. Did I speak for my people? author Mugambi Paul

Posted on February 9, 2022 by admin01

generally speaking, the tale of Kenyan disability movement its full of enjoying and lamenting of low hanging fruits and partaking vegetable salads in pursuance of larger picture.
In matters representation and respecting UNCRPD, constitution 2010 and performing contracting Kenya is lowly ranked among its east African peers.
This is to say we still have a long way.

Fortunately, with the Kenyan general election around the corner, my thoughts have been triggered by the massive Resignations by state and public officers to run for elective positions. Which is consistent with electoral laws.
Could this be an opportunity for the ministry of public service to actualize and anterior the Article 54 of the constitution? will president Uhuru checkbox the disability sector?
On the other hand, Covid-19 has massively impacted the social, cultural and has augmented poverty levels among Kenyans with disabilities. I believe through social protection is there to respond to shocks like having a disability without income.
Additionally poor education outcomes of learners with disabilities in the world, particularly in the global south is quite evident. While stakeholders explore how to build back better in the post-Covid context, I believe Organizations of Person with Disabilities (OPDs) can contribute to the transformation of representation, self-advocacy and contributing to the rebirth of education systems while advancing educational opportunities for students with disabilities. Moreover, an exemplary initiative should be demonstrated by independent commissions and human rights defenders by rising to the occasion and advocate for initiations of real inclusion of persons with disabilities and other marginalized groups.
This is to say they should organize pressers to demand the duty bearers to be responsive on the plight of representation of persons with disabilities.
Unfortunately, the independent bodies kept mum even after the IEBC and KNHCR commission did not meet the criteria for having a percentage of its commissioners being persons with disabilities. Nevertheless, As the world gears towards the second global disability summit next week will Kenya stand tall and say yes, we have achieved representation of persons with disabilities in appointive positions? Don’t shoot the messenger!
To some extent Kenya has performed well in developing disability mainstreaming guidelines 2019and also still developing more policies measures.
Another success story is the employment sector where at list private sector has started to embrace employment of persons with disabilities although this need to be backed with data.
As public policy scholar I observe GDS2022 will offer a concrete mechanism for collecting new, ambitious, and widespread commitments which are critical to achieving real change for persons with disabilities. It is a mechanism of global efforts, commitments, and activities to address disability inclusion in the world’s poorest countries.
The GDS international platform should be aimed at grassroot support for organizations of persons with disabilities and their representatives.
the Kenyan team should endeavor to address tackle inequalities, and foster inclusive development, and humanitarian action, guided by a human-rights approach.

Additionally, most of the time the silence of the organizations of persons with disabilities and the big boys in the disability political arena when needed is traumatizing. on this matter of appointive positions
is uncalled for!
Siting examples president Uhuru Kenyatta has been making several changes in its executive for the last 6 years and we haven’t seen actual spreading of disability wings.
It has just been a tick box here and there.

I opine when you don’t speak out no one will notice the marginalization we still partake as a disability sector.
What is the future of the disability sector in Kenya?
Actually, this will be driven by the next government which takes over from the Uhuru administration.
Will the minimum gains be maximized?
Are the current party manifestos and newly crafted policies geared reforms of disability services and impactful to all persons with disabilities?
Which political formation has allied itself by entrenching UNCRPD?
Which Kenyan political formation has the policy, regulations need of persons with disabilities in written and unwritten formation?
Are the campaigns held in accessible venues? How many employees with disabilities have been incorporate in the party structures?

All in all, I believe the structural and systemic barriers faced by all persons with disabilities need to be relooked deeply and ensure policy makers at different levels engage widely as they produce policy measures. nothing about us without us.

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Mugambi Paul – Mpofu No. 1

Disability Mainstreaming | Inspiration | Music | Motivation

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