The Action Foundation (TAF), founded by Maria Omare in 2010, is an organization that aims to reduce exclusion, prejudice and violence against disabled children, women, and girls in vulnerable communities. TAF provides direct service to small groups of schools and individuals with disabilities to broaden their social impact through creative empowerment, advocacy and capacity-building initiatives in Kenya. They operate in the major informal settlements of Nairobi, Kenya’s capital, in Kibera, Mukuru, Mathare, and Kawangware. TAF’s vision is to create a fully inclusive Africa where children, women, and girls with disabilities can reach their maximum potential and raise their voices against inequality, discrimination, and exclusion.
The organization works with caregivers and communities to reach those furthest from necessary services and opportunities, and helps them access health, education, and economic empowerment through direct service provision and strengthening the capacity of existing education, health systems, and networks. TAF’s values which include excellence, compassion, innovation, team spirit, empathy, and diversity embody the enthusiasm, passion, and commitment to the work they do.
In 2018, with the support of caregivers, friends, donors, and the local community in Kibera in Nairobi, Kenya, TAF established The Action Foundation Therapy, Training and Resource Centre (TAF Hub), located at the heart of Bombolulu Village, Kibera. In March 2012, with modest savings and contributions from the community and well-wishers, TAF also set up a rehabilitation center for special needs children at Mashimoni Village in the heart of Kibera.
TAF has several programs such as Tunza (Nurturing Care), Ibuka (Women & Girl Empowerment), and Somesha (Inclusive Education) which support the health, growth, and development of children with disabilities, enhance their livelihoods, resilience, and dignity, and enable them to access quality and inclusive education from their early years to the highest level possible.
The organization partners with corporates, local and regional institutions, national and county governments, and agencies to transform the lives of children, women, and girls with disabilities in marginalized communities. TAF believes that in order to effect sustainable change, there is a need to work alongside the systems within communities that hold them back.
TAF is dedicated to creating a more inclusive and equitable society for disabled children, women, and girls in Kenya through their programs, partnerships, and advocacy.
To learn more about The Action Foundation and what they do, visit theactionfoundationkenya.org
This is an original piece by Philanthropy Circuit