Disability is not Inability

:: KSDC Needs to appoint a New Director.

The Kenya Society for Deaf Children is one of the oldest organisations working for the improvement of the welfare of the deaf in Kenya. Compare the heydays of the pre and post independence leadership when most of the current big schools were constructed and deaf education had everthing but a local sign language. The current strategic crisis needs urgent action by the board.

The ABC of KSDC strategic re-evaluation are: a) A new director b) A new Constitution c) A new strategic plan

The organisation had many financiers with heavy briefcases and strategic plans supported by effective management structures. It catered for the interests of the community with hearing impairments.

lets not dwel on the past...

Until very recently KSDC was a very big organisation with assets in virtually all organisations with serious rent income. Each town also had rehabilitation or some thing buildings where such services were provided to children with hearing imapairments. Schools were supported both with money and children were mobilised from the community to the schools. Until i dont know what happened...

Now the immediate former director was being forces out of office leaving a limping organisation. Sources say the former director was forced to resign due to what the Board claimed to be mismanagement. Mr. Ogutu went back to Maseno University as a lecturer and left KSDC in a condition that is wanting to say the least. Since the Board chaired by Mr. Karanja who retired from KISE has NOT found it worthy to retire from acting Managing Director cum chirman KSDC.

Why a new director is prudent.

The current challenges of the organisation define the manegement needs it demands. The organisation's mandate includes all the welfare of deaf children. This includes education health and community integration. This is however currently, The main priority is the education needs of the community.

A Competent female director fished from the civil society would be a better choice. Women are usually better managers in an environment like disability where much sacrifices are a necessary part and parcel of the job. Men (at least Kenyan men), fleece the little that is available, leaving nothing to build the necessary bridges.

Solving the education riddle expand opportunity to many for productive inclusive independent life. We want to reduce the number of deaf begging on the streets. O-level graduates and unable to read english.

Integration means the deaf nust be able to work in mainstream economy. Through email or whatever they must be able to read english and sign KSL in the office or workstation. This means quality deaf education is a major strategic component of the new director.

There has been debate within KSDC that a teacher like the former director was not the best director. This is because they do not have the skills to provide the second important strategic need of the organisation: Funding. An NGO strategic framework with a series of donors from governemnt to development partners and network NGOs would build a much required resource base to undertake the strategic plan of the organisation.

Where is a new director?

When Mr. Ogutu was shown the door there was speculation that the Board would act within the next few months to sort out the transition. There was much expectations from stakeholders like schools and partners to see a revitalised KSDC.

The latest reports seven months later is the Chairman is seen in project meeting supervising the teaching of sign language (which he does not know) to teachers in a project worth below a million shillings!

A female director fished from the civil society would be a better choice. Women are usually better managers in an environment like disability where much sacrifices are a necessary part and parcel of the job. Men (at least Kenyan men), fleece the little that is available, leaving nothing to build the necessary bridges.

But the biggest challenge would be the constitution. The New director would need a suitable working environment with necessary check and balances that empower not armtwist. There is need for the board to be reconstituted at least.

Then the room to contruct and implement a strategic plan would be successful.

disabilitykenya.