Thanks to many campaigns, especially local ones, to raise awareness on the part of associations and government agencies, in Kenya the perception of disability is finally changing and people who have deformities, impairments or mental problems from birth, are less and less considered creatures of the devil, pawns to pay for sins committed or signs of destiny and treated accordingly.
The story of Rukia, a thirteen-year-old disabled girl born without arms, has made the rounds of the country after a local television station filmed part of her daily routine, including her attendance at school in Tana River County, where she is one of the best students.
Rukia pretty much does everything with her feet, from writing to cooking to tidying up the house to help relatives, who are almost always away on business. But life is hard, especially for those already born unfortunate in one of the poorest regions of Kenya.
So the executive director of the National Council For People With Disabilities (NCPWD) Harun Maalim confirmed that Rukia will receive a scholarship to finance her studies, as long as she wants.
Rukia has thus become the symbol of a silent struggle in a country where gender equality is still being fought for, far from reaching Western levels.
"Rukia is doubly disadvantaged, because she is disabled and because she is a woman - said Maalim - if we give an opportunity to someone like her, we can show everyone the capabilities of a disabled girl and make her an example for many".
Rukia's teachers at Harmoni Junior school, where she attends sixth grade, have confirmed that the girl is doing very well at school despite her problems. In the images of the special broadcast by Citizen Tv, you can see Rukia struggling with household chores, writing and cooking. All with her feet, all with the courage and will of someone who can be a symbol of change.