Kenya Disabled Action Network (KEDAN) joins the growing list of DOT Kenya Community Partner. 20 young men and women are enrolled in the pioneering class in May 2008. The KEDAN community is excited about the partnership with DOT Kenya because the ReachUp! programme meshes well with their stated goals.

KEDAN is a community-based youth organisation formed by and for the youth with disabilities in the year 2003 and is registered under the Ministry of Gender, Sports, Culture and Social Services. It was formed as part of the effort to fill the gap that the mainstream disability organisations were not meeting especially with regards to the youth and their needs.

KEDAN’s founding members realized that the poverty experience by youth with disabilities can be alleviated if they themselves were given the opportunities to determine their own course of action. This strategy would ensure that the experiences, needs, concerns and aspirations of youth with disabilities are met.

KEDAN is a non religious, non discriminatory and not-for-profit organization that delivers its services and implements the policies on the principles of neutrality.

KEDAN is both a service provision and implementing organization with emphasis on capacity building and advocacy to protect the marginalized youth with disabilities and aims to improve the socio-economic status of the poor, disabled youth in the society. The organization is run by, and for youth with disabilities, in recognition of the need for a body that understands their concerns and would wholeheartedly seek to address the imbalances impairing their development that hitherto have been handled by people that are not knowledgeable of their needs.

KEDAN has focused its work at grassroots level with a pilot phase in Kibera slums and plans for expansion to cover all the regions in Kenya are in the works.

Mission: Advancing the wellbeing of youth with disabilities by equalizing opportunities that promote pro-active participation in sustainable socio-economic activities, towards poverty alleviation.

Vision: To create an enabling environment in Kenya where, youth with disabilities can maximize their potential as well as play a more pivotal role in their personal growth and societal development.

Goal: Enhanced integration of youth with disabilities in community development.

Objectives:
• To seek greater involvement of youth with disabilities in development and decision-making processes.
• To facilitate socio-economic empowerment of youth with disabilities through self-sustainable projects. E.g. small-scale enterprises, micro-credit etc.
• To facilitate information and service provision in health, mobility, legal and rights issues for youth with disabilities.
• To encourage and facilitate the integration of disability issues in mainstream development processes

KEDAN offers a variety of Programmes.
1.Economic Empowerment Programme
2.Job Placement and Livelihood Project.
3.Health and fitness.
4.Lobbying and Advocacy Programme.
5.Capacity Development Programme.
6.Sports and recreational activities Membership.

KEDAN is a membership-based organization comprised of persons with different challenges and disabilities amongst them:
• The physically challenged.
• The deaf.
• The blind and low vision.

Contacts:
Executive Director,
Kenya Disabled Action Network.
P.O.Box 5837-00200 (Off Kibera Drive, AIC Church-Kibera Compound; Olympic Stage.) Nairobi, Kenya
Tel:+254 02-2045609, +254-020 2324589
Email:info@kedan.or.ke

For more information on KEDAN click here.