Help us educate disabled children, appeals school

Little Rock ECD Director and Founder Lilly Oyare greets Adventure motorcyclist Mburu Ngugi (right) at the Standard Group’s head office in Nairobi yesterday. With them is Standard Group CEO Sam Shollei (centre) and Little Rock’s Legal Adviser Esther Aduma (left) and pupils from the school (in wheelchairs). [PHOTO: JENIPHER WACHIE/standard]

A school for children with special needs in Kibera slums, Nairobi, is seeking to raise Sh67 million to improve their welfare.

Little Rock Integrated Early Childhood Development (ECD) Centre that also takes care of orphaned children and those infected and affected by HIV/Aids, has organised a fundraiser next month in a bid to raise the money.

Lilly Oyare, the institution's founder and director, said yesterday that the money will be used to construct a primary school with 11 classrooms to expand the institution's scope in educating the children from poor backgrounds.

"We will have an inaugural charity run to raise the money on June 4, 2016. Participants will ride and push wheelchairs, those who can run, walk or ride bicycles will do so. It will be a family fun day with many activities for children," said Ms Oyare.

Standard Group is among the major sponsors of the event dubbed Tour De Educate.

Oyare yesterday led officials and some of the pupils from the institution on a visit to the Standard Group headquarters in Nairobi, where they held talks with the CEO Sam Shollei.

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"We are appealing to all Kenyans and corporate organisations to support us. No child should be deprived of education because of their state of being. Every disabled child matters, is special and is destined for great things, if they receive quality basic education," said Oyare.

Mr Shollei announced that Standard Group will give Sh3 million to the school besides being a media partner for the event.

The group will publicise the charity run, from Nyayo Stadium to Kenya Wildlife Service headquarters on Lang'ata Road and back, in all its media platforms that include KTN, KTN News, The Standard, The Nairobian and Radio Maisha.

"We express our full support and total commitment for this noble initiative. Our intervention and that of other corporate bodies will make the lives of the special needs children much easier. I challenge more corporates and individuals to support this worthy cause," the CEO said.

Those willing to participants in the run can register by buying a T-shirt worth Sh1,000 in supermarkets including Nakumatt Prestige, Galleria Shopping Mall and Chandarana in Lavington. Donations can also be sent through pay-bill number 926300, with Little Rock being the account name.