Stigma pushes disabled children into 'dangerous' Kenyan orphanages

Report reveals widespread neglect in institutions across the country, yet fierce discrimination means such children may be at risk of being killed if they remain in their communities

Behind the gates of an orphanage at the end of a dirt road on Nairobi’s outskirts, more than 30 children are being given plates of rice and beans in a stuffy room that smells as though it serves as dining room, physical therapy room and toilet. The scent of the food does little to mask the overpowering smell of faeces and urine.

Babies lie on worn, stained mattresses. Beside them, four children are tied in standing positions in order to “strengthen their legs”, the physiotherapist says. One boy is in visible pain, screaming and reaching out to one of the care-givers. This session will last two hours. One boy restrained in a chair is being spoon-fed by a staff member, who then slaps the child’s face.

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from Children | The Guardian https://ift.tt/2zfZ5E8