Biography

Grace Seneiya, a teacher and child rights activist, started Samburu Handicap Education and Rehabilitation Programme (SHERP) in 1999, to provide a home for these disabled children.  She provides education, medical care, food, clothing, counseling, and a loving home to Kenyan children living with disabilities. Since ancient times, the Samburu people have been nomads, following their herds as they search for grazing land. Sadly, this nomadic life style is not conducive to the special care needed by children with disability. Disabled children are seen as a burden and are often abandoned and left to die at birth or in the best case, grow up locked inside and simply neglected. 

Grace Seneiya dedicates her life to providing disabled children with a nurturing home and the education and health services they need, while working within the community to dispel the stigma of being disabled. There are 156 handicapped or HIV children in her care -- all of whom desperately need help at this center.  As you can imagine, many children are mentally as well as physically traumatized. Though Grace operates SHERP on a shoestring budget, the center is a clean and well-organized home where the children's abilities and confidence are being fostered. Grace is indeed a champion of change for her community and the world.