The Diocese of Eldoret has come a long way in trying to uplift living standard of her community both socially and spiritually by having several departments in the diocese to inter-mingle with communities within her boundaries in North Rift so as to learn from them and understand their needs. From the inception of the diocese, the late Bishop put in strategies to care and give hope to a set of group that had been forgotten in the society, these were the group living with disability and who face myriad challenges ranging from marginalization to being totally ignored. Driven by the love for this forgotten group, he identified a partner who was like-minded. In 1990, Canon Percia Hurtcherson a physiotherapist Volunteer Missionary from the Episcopal Church USA established a pilot Community Based Rehabilitation project whose main objectives are:-

• Create awareness and train communities on disability

• Launch rehabilitation services

• Sensitize the community on integrating disabled people in the community

• Asses the disabled person’s ability to participate in community life

The Centre

The programme grew and in 1995, the North Rift Rehabilitation Centre was started with the support from the Diocese of Los Angeles. The centre is established within the bishop’s office. The second phase of this Centre was officially by His Grace, the Most Rev. Benjamin Nzimbi in the year 2005. The Centre offers the following services: -

• Takes care of client before and after surgery

• Offers accommodation to client en-route to the hospital for specialized attention

• Offers daily physiotherapy activities

• Its an educational centre for families with brain damaged (Celebral Palsy), hydrocephalus and spinal bifida children

• A demonstration centre for children requiring assistive aids

• Facilitates referral to other institutions

• A centre for the Kijabe Doctors’ clinic done on a bi-monthly basis

Achievements

The passion and love of the Diocese of Eldoret and the initiators of this worthy department has given a smile to many who may have never smiled since birth, thereby achieving tremendous results in the communities within Rift Valley and beyond. It has created and increased awareness in the communities about disabilities and people living with disabilities. The department has also been able to organize, facilitate and monitor successful surgeries and healing for people.