Opiyo Nick is an 18-year-old boy with a physical disability. Nick joined the programme in 2019 when he was 10 years old. He had never been to school before because he was denied the right to education due to his disability. Most people consider children with disabilities as useless, and when someone gives birth to such a child, it is often seen as a misfortune or a taboo.

Nick started school when the SEND project began at Kirombe Primary School. That is when his grandmother brought him, and he got registered.

He studied at Kirombe from Primary One to Three. Since he joined school at an older age, Nick faced some challenges with his classmates due to his disability. His hands are mostly affected, so he could not hold a pen well and was unable to write. He also experienced learning difficulties.

As a result of these challenges, we decided to take Nick to a SEND vocational school nearby. He was very happy to join because there were many other children with similar conditions, and he felt comfortable there. At the centre, he chose a course in knitting, which he studied for one year. He did very well.

By the end of the course, he was able to make beautiful sweaters in different sizes and fashions. He graduated in 2023 with a certificate. This achievement made both him and his parents very happy. It was an eye-opener for the family—that disability is not inability.