Experiences of People with Intellectual Disabilities and Caregivers in Kenya: An Inclusive Research Study

The Department of Disability and Human Development presents a dissertation defense …

Experiences of People with Intellectual Disabilities and Caregivers in Kenya: An Inclusive Research Study

by

Rachael Wanjagua
Doctoral Candidate of Disability Studies

4:00 – 5:00 pm, CST
Friday, May 10, 2024
Zoom (info below)

Abstract
Voices of people with disabilities in Kenya have yet to influence disability services and the issues affecting their lives. This is in part due to the dominance of disability discourses from Global North contexts from which international policies on disability such as the United Nations Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities borrow their guiding frameworks. People with intellectual disabilities face a much greater problem as they do not enjoy human and disability rights in much the same way their disabled and non-disabled counterparts. It is therefore critical to create knowledge about intellectual disabilities that is informed by perspectives from embodied experiences and reimagine discourses on intellectual disabilities.

The aim of this dissertation was to determine support needs and services of people with intellectual disabilities and caregivers in Laikipia County in Kenya. This was done through exploring their lived experiences, determining the barriers and facilitators to receiving services, resources and supports, and determining the factors that influenced availability or lack of services. The research was inclusive and participatory and used ethnographic qualitative methods of inquiry using interviews and focus group discussions with 10 people with intellectual disabilities and 10 caregivers. Additionally, two people with intellectual disabilities received research and ethics training and participated in data collection and dissemination as Research Assistants.
The key themes found were: representation, meaningful life, increased access to services, increased organizing and advocacy efforts, stigma, discrimination, colonization and exploitation. Future research needs to attend to cultural adaption of co-researcher training, empowerment of people with intellectual disabilities in all research processes, working with support personnel who have the interest to empower researchers with intellectual disabilities, and a more intentional focus on decolonization, cultural and systems-levels barriers facing people with intellectual disabilities and their caregivers as well as their full participation in research.

For individuals needing access accommodations, please send an email to DHDOSA@uic.edu by noon, Monday, April 29th.

Zoom Info
https://uic.zoom.us/j/81837207064?pwd=Umxzbjl6MklZeGVjVVRKcnZhRlFmZz09&from=addon

Meeting ID: 818 3720 7064
Passcode: NtDq763P