About
L’Arche Kenya is a non governmental organization registered as Trust and established in 2008 to promote inclusion of adults with intellectual disabilities and inclusive communities in the society. The founders of the community were Fr. Gabriel Pipinato, Fr. Mariano Dal Ponte and Bishop Emeritus Luis Piaro all priests in the catholic diocese of Nyahururu. The founders were supported by staff of Saint Martin CSA and volunteers from the grassroots who were deeply concerned about the welfare of persons with disabilities, especially adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
The organization aims at a society inclusive of persons with intellectual disabilities. The mission of the community is to make known gifts of adults with intellectual disabilities through mutually transforming relationships while remaining faithful to our founding story. Belief in God is at the centre of our journey together.
L’Arche Kenya has 4 programmes which include: –
- Inclusive model homes – Betania and Effatha
- Inclusive occupational therapy workshops
- Disability Outreach programme
- The Social Enterprise
There are other departments which work to sustain and complement the main programmes and they include: –
- Community Faith Life
The organization was recognized as the champion in inclusion of persons with disabilities NGO category for the year 2022 due to its approach where people with and without intellectual disabilities live and work together focusing on the abilities of every person regardless of their disability.
The programmes work with 33 adults with disabilities in the daily activities and reaches out to more than 800 persons with various types of disabilities across the Laikipia, Baringo and Nyandarua counties in Kenya. Since its establishment, the organization has supported more than 10,000 persons with disabilities implementing projects such as households livelihood improvements, access to education, health and rehabilitation, social integration, assistive devices and building community solidarity.
Through its disability Outreach Programme, the community works with local volunteers recruited from the grassroots and empowered to be catalysts of inclusion and empowerment of persons with disabilities. Over the years the community worked with more than 500 volunteers and in the last 5 years worked with 106 volunteers also known as disability inclusion agents. The involvement of volunteers ensures that the community uses its resources to promote inclusion, build solidarity and capacity among its people.