• Prevalence and Causes of Visual Impairment
• The Policy Environment
• Enrollment of Visually Impaired Children in Schools
• Technology and Assistive Devices

 

Prevalence and Causes of Visual Impairment in Kenya
- Approximately 518,000 Kenyans (1.4% of the population) are visually impaired*
- Prevalence is higher in females (55%) than males (45%)**
- Cataracts are the leading cause of visual impairment in Kenya, as in all developing countries, followed by trachoma, glaucoma and age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

The Policy Environment

The Kenya Union of the Blind works to advance programs that advocate, lobby and stimulate the state practice on disability policies and legislation.  KUB also ensures that visually impaired persons are aware of their rights and the policies and legislation which protect them.  

Acts and Legislation in Kenya

- Kenya’s 2009/2010 Budget specifically supports micro and small enterprises run by persons with disabilities in that it sets aside Ksh 200 million for an interest-free revolving fund which will finance business ventures; allows tax-free income of up to 150,000 Ksh per month; and allows an additional deduction to their taxable income of up to 50,000 Ksh to cushion them against expenses on drugs, purchase of diability related devices, home care services and treatment.

-The Disability Act was ratified in 2003, however basic opportunities and freedoms which are enshrined within have not yet reached visually impaired persons, including the National Fund for the Disabled.  The Act states that ‘… no employer shall discriminate against a person with a disability in relation to the advertisement of employment; the recruitment for employment; the creation, classification or abolition of posts; the determination or allocation of wages, salaries, pension, accommodation, leave or other such benefits; the choice of persons for posts ,training, advancement, apprenticeships, transfer, promotion or retrenchment; the
provision of facilities related to or connected with employment, or; any other matter related to employment’.  To learn more about the Disability Act, select this link. 

- The Disability Manifesto is a document developed by the disability community in 2007 to guide engagement of people with disabilities to choose leadership that supports empowerment of people with disabilities in the general elections 2007 and to guide implementation of the Disability Act 2003 for the for the next five years. To learn more about the Disability Manifesto, select this link. 

-Vision 2030’s first medium term plan (2008-2012) includes strategies to: create an additional 3.5 million jobs; reduce the number of Kenyans living in poverty from 46 % to 28 %; and raise average annual incomes from an estimated USD 650 in 2006 to USD 992.  To learn more about Vision 2030, select this link. 

United Nations Conventions and Articles relating to Disability
- UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities has become a binding treaty in record time, however in order to continue making progress it needs the backing from government, public authorities, private institutions and civil society.  To learn more about the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, select this link.

- Article 27 on Work and Employment calls on governments to put measures in place to facilitate access to employment for all persons with disabilities. To learn more about Article 27, select this link

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- Article 30 on Participation in Cultural Life, Leisure, Recreation and Sports recognizes the importance for persons with disabilities of participating in all aspects of social and community life. For those who are blind or low vision, this includes gaining access to books and information in accessible formats.  To learn more about Article 30, select this link.

- The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child does not give specific protection to children with disabilities, but does prohibit discrimination against children on the basis of disability and also recognizes their special needs that require special, appropriate assistance and care.

- One of the UN Millennium Development Goals is to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger by 2015. This requires all sectors to collaborate on job creation, income generation, food security, and poverty alleviation initiatives, including reducing by half the proportion of people living on less than a dollar a day and achieving full and productive employment.  To learn more about the UN Millennium Development Goals, select this link. 

Enrollment of Children with Visual Impairments in School

In 2009, the Ministry of Education released a report*** , which indicated that only 21% of visually impaired children are attending schools. It is estimated that there are approximately 15,500 visually impaired children in Kenya.   The report demonstrated that 1,527 are attending special school, 1637 are attending integrated/inclusive schools, 90 teachers training colleges and 60 universities. 

Technology and Assistive Devices

Numerous assistive devices and new technology platforms exist to help visually impaired persons access the same information and services as their sighted counterparts.  Some of these include:

Computers and assistive technology

Assistive technology software allows computer text to be converted to audio files for blind persons and converted to large print for partially sighted persons.
- A screen reader is a software application that identifies and interprets what is being displayed on the computer screen and converts it to through text-to-speech, sound icons or a Braille Output Device. 
- A screen magnifier is software that interfaces with a computer's graphical output to present enlarged screen content. It is suitable for visually impaired people with some functional vision. 

A few examples and costs of assistive technology software include: JAWS, Dolphin Pens, Sightsavers Dolphin Pens and Thunder.

Mobility Devices

A white cane with a red tip is the internationally recognized symbol of blindness is used both as a mobility tool and as a courtesy to others. There are many different types of white canes, each serving a different need:
- Long cane: This traditional white cane is designed primarily as a mobility tool used to detect objects in the path of a user.  A long cane is used to extend the user's range of touch sensation. It is usually swung in a low sweeping motion, across the intended path of travel to detect obstacles.
- "Kiddie" cane: This version works in the same way as an adult's long cane, but is designed for
use by children.
- Identification cane or Symbol Cane: This is used primarily to alert others as to the bearer's visual impairment. It is often lighter and shorter than the long cane, and is more limited as a mobility tool.
- Support cane: The white support cane is designed primarily to offer physical stability to a visually impaired user. By virtue of its colour, the cane also works as a means of identification.

Reading Devices

Large print and Braille allow visually impaired persons access reading material. 

Braille – Braille is a series of raised dots that can be read with the fingers by people who are blind or visually impaired. Braille is not a language, rather it is a code by which languages such as English and Kiswahili can be written and read. 

Braille symbols are formed within units of space known as braille cells. A full braille cell consists of six raised dots arranged in two parallel rows each having three dots. The dot positions are identified by numbers from one through six. Sixty-four combinations are possible using one or more of these six dots. A single cell can be used to represent an alphabet letter, number, punctuation mark, or even a whole word.

Grade 1 Braille - When every letter of every word is expressed in braille, it is referred to as Grade 1 braille. Very few books or other reading material are transcribed in Grade 1 braille. However, many newly blinded adults find this useful for labeling personal or kitchen items. 

Grade 2 Braille - The system used for reproducing most textbooks and publications is known as Grade 2 braille. In this system cells are used individually or in combination with others to form a variety of contractions or whole words.

Large Print – refers to a published material (book, paper or online) whereby the typeface and font are considerably larger than usual, to accommodate visually impaired persons. 

Talking books or Audio Books - Audiobooks are usually distributed on CDs, cassette tapes, downloadable digital formats, and, most recently, some preloaded digital formats.

There are also a number of other “talking equipment” available including: thermometers, watches, clocks, scales, calculators, compasses and enlarged or marked oven dials.