Participants at the Rotary’s Sunshine rally at the ASK Jamuhuri showground.
For children living with disabilities in many parts of the
world, the simple joy of a day spent under the warm embrace of the sun is a
rare and often missed luxury.
Hidden away due to societal stigma or lack of accessible spaces,
these children and young people often miss out on the carefree play moments
that define childhood.
However, for four decades now, an anticipated annual event has
become a beacon of hope shining brightly and allowing the children to have fun
and engage with their friends through the Sunshine Rally.
The
Sunshine Rally is more than just a single day of joy—it sparks a year-round
commitment from Rotary clubs to support children with disabilities in
meaningful, tangible ways
This year, the Sunshine Rally was held at the ASK Jamuhuri
showground, bringing together about 8,500 children to enjoy the sun, dance,
music, art, and play.
The 43rd Sunshine Rally coordinator, Peter Kanake, noted that
the legacy project, which has now become a popular, cherished project since it
began in 1979 through the vision of philanthropist and Rotarian Manu Chandaria,
who started the event as a heartfelt tribute to his brother living with a
disability.
Two years later, in 1981, Rotary adopted it as an official
project during the UN year dedicated to the physically challenged.
“We have children living with disabilities, and in this
part of the world, many of them are hidden away. The one luxury they often lack
is sunlight. The idea behind the Sunshine Rally is to give these kids a day in
the sun—a moment to have fun, to be seen and celebrated,” said Kanake.
Rotarians from various clubs across Kenya, as part of District
9212, united to organize this special day where children with disabilities can
come out, play, and experience immense joy.
According to Kanake, the logistics of the rally are carefully
coordinated through the Rotary clubs and partners. Over its 40-year history,
organizers have built a valuable database identifying the locations of children
with disabilities in schools and communities.
Close collaboration with local authorities ensures all necessary
permissions are secured. They also help provide transportation to and from
schools and meals for the children throughout the day.
“For many of these children, the Sunshine Rally is more than
just a day out—it’s a sight and a meaningful experience. “This is the
farthest they’ve ever been from home for most of them. That’s what it is, such
a joyful and memorable day,” he said.
“While the Sunshine Rally is a major annual event, Rotary’s
efforts for these children go far beyond a single day. Kanake explains that
members build lasting connections through Rotary by supporting access to clean
water and sanitation, providing library books, and improving classroom
conditions.
These efforts are made possible through contributions from
members across various clubs, offering them meaningful opportunities to serve
their communities.
These projects span various needs, aligning with Rotary’s seven
areas, including maternal and child health care, education and literacy, and
water and sanitation. The Sunshine Rally has also
expanded regionally, with Rotary clubs in other parts of Kenya organizing their
own editions to serve children within their communities—helping to reduce the
burden of cross-county travel.
“Kenya’s percentage of disabilities among children is at
11.4%, which is an estimated 3.4 million children living with disabilities. The
sheer number of children with disabilities underscores the scale of the
challenge, and so although spending one day with them is like a drop in the
ocean, we are sure the children enjoy it; it is like Christmas comes early for
them,” he says.
To make the rally more engaging and inclusive of all the various
disabilities among the children, Rotary International District 9212 involved other partners who
brought the world of play onboard to provide more play and engagement to
children who would otherwise not appreciate the music and dancing.
“Our traditional way” of entertainment was music,
dance, and singing, which only revolved around volume. We thought that those
with hearing impairment would feed off the vibration, but we were made aware
that the entertainment was not inclusive based on the various sensory
requirements of the children.”
According to Mercy Wanza, a program officer at Clinton Health
Access Initiative (CHAI), several experts from different institutions were
involved in this year’s rally to promote year-round interventions for children
with various disabilities.
These included experts from the Kenya Society for the Blind,
Kenya Society for the Deaf, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Health, Kenyatta
National Hospital, Kenyatta Teaching and Referral Hospital, Association of Play
Therapists Kenya, and Speech and Language Therapists from Mombasa and Eldoret,
among others.
“In Building a World” of Play (BAWOP), we have a model
called Play Camp, where families with children with disabilities—including
caregivers and siblings—come together to enjoy adapted play activities tailored
to various needs. We brought this concept to the rally to introduce more
diversity and inclusion in the day’s experience.” Wanza said.
Some of the activities that the children participated in included
free play, pretend play, arts and crafts, puppets, painting, sensory play
involving wheat flour mixed with water and food color for play, and creative
play building blocks, including a play therapist who helped children with their
play.
Wanza expressed hope that the rally would be more inclusive in
the future, tailored to the various needs of the children to ensure they are
stimulated and supported to engage
While
there are no immediate plans to expand the event due to its complex logistics,
the lasting impact of the rally and the ongoing projects it inspires continue
to provide vital support and recognition to these deserving children.