A year later, matters did not improve. And when a mass eye checkup came to the hood, they took Binny. Medics said she had undergone an operation improperly. The parents declined another operation, fearing Binny would lose her other sight. Binny had to wait for her younger sister to be of age so as to accompany each other to school.
"In Class Seven, she didn't register for national exams, as the Education officer said Binny required a special school and it would not be fair to grade her as other students," explains Athman. "I was advised to get her assessed from a public health facility." It was not until UNICEF and other stakeholders began conducting an assessment of children living with disability in Mombasa County that Binny was assessed and found a spot at Likoni School for the visually impaired.
Jane Musuva has been a Senior Teacher at the school for 13 years, helping the over 170 learners suffering low vision and the totally blind. Taking care of such vulnerable children needs funding.
"There is capitation from government, Sh2,000 per child per year, but it is not enough," she says. "We have well-wishers and that is how we survive."
According to UNICEF, about 13 million children in Kenya need assistance but only 7.5 per cent are receiving it. Their parents are among the poorest in Kenya where expanding social protection would provide a lifeline for families. "UNICEF does not implement programs directly. We support the government to implement programs to ensure every child gets the social support they require. So far we have supported revision of social protection policy, the Children's Act and strengthening systems of service delivery," explains Susan Momanyi, a Social Protection Specialist, UNICEF Kenya
According to the 2019 census, 2.2 per cent (0.9 million people) of Kenyans live with some form of disability.
In Mombasa alone, the numbers are hard to determine as some parents hide their children.
"Without an assessment, you are not able to be properly placed in a school, and worse if you don't have a disability card there are some services you cannot access," says Momanyi, adding that UNICEF has supported Mombasa County to implement a program whose three pillars see children assessed and provided with disability cards thus improving social protection of children.
Jane Wandia Githui, Director of Budget and Economic Planning in Mombasa County, says a social protection strategy was developed to facilitate social protection of children.
But during times of transition of governments children living with disabilities are often forgotten receding any gains made in inclusivity and protection of vulnerable children.
"The incoming government should increase the support accorded to special needs schools as buying resources is more expensive compared to buying an exercise book costing sh100," says Musuva.
Children like Binny have had their lives changed through social protection. She will be sitting this year's final primary national exams of which she is prepared as part of her aspiration to be a nurse or a journalist.