Daughters of Charity Services Thigio, Kenya

Sr. Deborah Mallott DC

Sr. Deborah Mallott is an American Daughter of Charity. She has spent 16 of her 33 years as a Daughter of Charity in Kenya. A trained social worker, Sr. Deborah currently works as an Administrator and Sister Servant in Thigio, Kenya. We are very proud of the contribution of the many Irish DCs who have served alongside Sr. Deborah in Kenya. Find her account below:

The Campus at Holy Cross Parish where the bulk of the services provided by Daughter of Charity Services Thigio take place, is buzzing with activity with the beginning of a new year. The school for children with intellectual and physical disabilities is opening a few days late because some of the teachers came down with Covid-19 during the Christmas break. They are all well and they are hard at work sorting supplies and food, cleaning their classes and preparing lessons.

On Monday 118 children and youth with a variety of physical and intellectual disabilities will return. Each child receives breakfast and lunch. Physiotherapy is also available for those children who need it. In addition to the classes on the main campus there are three day centres in other locations for adults with disabilities.

The adults who are attending the centres learn and practice life skills, they do various crafts. They have lunch and they enjoy being together. Many of these adults would be at home alone if it were not for the centres. DCST also includes a nine bed inpatient hospice, a clinic, a library, women’s development activities and a lunch program and outreach for elderly persons. And there is a sports program for youth, the youth play basketball, football, and volley ball. They have indoor board games, darts, and table tennis. The girls club targets girls who might be at risk of dropping out of school. The girls have career choices talks, field trips, and incentives like money for books, sanitary supplies and uniforms. Parents are not forgotten in Thigio.

There are classes for parents of the children with disabilities to help them cope with the challenges associated with raising a child with disabilities. There are also classes for the parents of the girls attending the girls club. These parents receive encouragement and support and some tip about how to communicate with and how to motivate their teenage daughter. There is never a dull moment in Thigio!

To find out more about the work of the Daughters in Kenya, check out the following link: https://www.daughtersofcharity.ie/missions/#1490028116373-806e6792-fdd2