Retired teacher finds new calling in empowering PWDs in Busia

At 62, Francisca Mukani, a retired teacher from Funyula in Busia County, has chosen not to rest after decades in Kenya’s education sector.

I met her in Kisumu during last week’s Tourism Week Celebrations, where she was one of the exhibitors.

She has chosen a path that blends her professional experience, compassion, and resilience into a mission that is transforming lives - empowering persons with disabilities through enterprise, skills training, and community inclusion.

“I retired in 2022 after teaching for many years,” she begins, he voice soft and motherly.

“But I felt the knowledge I had gained in special needs education could not just end with my retirement.  I wanted to continue giving back. That is how Banaona Disability Self-Help Group was born.”

The group’s name, Banaona, is an acronym representing the seven locations in Funyula Division.

With members drawn from across these regions, the initiative now brings together over 200 persons with disabilities and their families, making it a beacon of hope in the division.

Francisca’s professional journey began at Togoto Teachers’ Training College, where she majored in art, craft, and home science under the 8-4-4 system.

Her specialisation was special needs education, particularly supporting children with intellectual and cognitive challenges. “When I joined special schools, I realised many learners who were mentally challenged could not perform well academically,” she recalls.

“But they had incredible potential in practical areas like weaving, craftwork, and hand skills. I decided to focus on vocational training, which gave them dignity, purpose, and even a source of livelihood.”

That philosophy continues to guide her post-retirement work. Today, Banaona Disability Self-Help Group trains its members in weaving, basketry, woodwork, metalwork, recycling, clothing, textile design, and even value addition in food.

They produce peanut butter, simsim butter, assorted nutritious snacks, soya beverages, and modernised cultural crafts such as Kenya- and Africa-branded bags.

“The majority of these items are made by persons with disabilities themselves,” Mukani explains.

“Of course, trainers and technicians guide them, but when the products sell, part of the proceeds goes back to the group, while the rest supports individual members; whether it is school shopping, pocket money, or simply giving them dignity.”

For the retired teacher, inclusion is not just a slogan; it is a deliberate practice. She emphasises that persons with physical and intellectual disabilities can thrive if given raw materials, patient guidance, and a comfortable environment.

“When someone is physically challenged, perhaps on a wheelchair or crutches, all you need to do is organise their workspace and provide raw materials,” she says proudly.

“Patience is key, because learning may take longer. But once they master a skill, concentrate on it, don’t mix things up. That way, they perfect their craft and become productive.”

The group’s activities draw both men and women, underscoring Francisca’s philosophy that “disability has no boundaries.”

No single journey is not occupied with challenges. “Some parents still carry negative attitudes,” she says.

“They see their disabled children as useless. Convincing such families to support training takes effort. Then there’s the cost of raw materials and the fact that most of our trainers volunteer. We need support to sustain the programme.”

The group doesn’t have a physical place to undertake their learning, but sometimes they are given a room in one of the schools in Busia or other times under the shade of trees, depending on the weather.

Their second site is at the Funyula Jua Kali grounds, which operates as both a workshop and a showroom.

“We’ve been requesting permanent space,” Francisca makes it clear. “Two rooms - one for production and one for display – would help us organise better.”

Banaona was officially established in 2015, but it is only in recent years, particularly after 2023, that membership has swelled.

This growth has been aided by partnerships with organisations like the Association for the Physically Disabled of Kenya (APDK), whose outreach programmes in Busia have drawn many persons with disabilities.

Running such an initiative requires resources, yet Banaona has largely survived on volunteerism. Francisca’s seven other retired teachers sacrifice their time, skills, and sometimes personal funds. Occasionally, well-wishers donate raw materials or finances.

“In 2023, I initiated a tree planting program for persons with disabilities. We identified 85 centres across the division, with each centre having 10 members. Each person received 20 seedlings.

Later, One Acre Fund joined us with 6,000 seedlings. It was an in-kind donation that gave members purpose and aligned with climate action.”

She dreams of scaling up income-generating activities. “If we could get 30 beehives per location, that would be a stable project. We also plan to construct a Disability Complex, a multi-room facility with workshops, showrooms, and rental spaces to sustain the group financially.”

Despite financial challenges, Banaona has achieved notable milestones. They have exhibited products at the Tourism Week in Kisumu, attended East African trade fairs, and even contributed to Kenya’s recognition at regional exhibitions.

“In 2023, we partnered with groups from Busia to exhibit in Burundi,” Francisca recalls.

“Our products, combined with bamboo crafts from another group, won Kenya first place in East Africa. The reward was a machine for making toothpicks from bamboo, which was given to Busia County. That was a proud moment.”

Francisca’s efforts play out against a sobering national backdrop. According to the 2019 Kenya Population and Housing Census, persons with disabilities make up 2.2 per cent of the population (about 900,000 people).

Women account for 57 per cent. The most common disabilities are mobility (42 per cent), followed by visual impairment (36.4 per cent), cognition (23.2 per cent), hearing (16.7 per cent), self-care (15.3 per cent), and communication (12.1 per cent). More than 80 per cent live in rural areas, where opportunities are scarce.

While the Constitution of Kenya (Article 54) mandates that at least five per cent of public sector jobs go to persons with disabilities, government data shows only one per cent of PWDs are employed in the public sector. Nationally, their employment rate stood at 40 per cent, compared to 73 per cent for non-disabled persons, according to the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics’ 2019 figures.

Globally, exclusion from the workforce costs about $6 trillion (Sh774 trillion) annually, according to World Bank and International Labour Organisation (ILO) data analysed by Sightsavers.

Kenya recently passed the Persons with Disabilities Act, 2025, aligning with international conventions and reaffirming disability rights as human rights. Yet implementation remains weak, and grassroots efforts like Banaona are plugging gaps that policy alone cannot fix.

At one point in the interview, Francisca pauses, her voice breaking as she recalls seeing persons with disabilities begging under the scorching sun.

“I don’t like seeing them like that,” she says, visibly emotional. “If we can equip them with simple skills, making key holders, earrings, or even selling honey – why should they beg? They deserve dignity.”

Her vision is to see every member financially independent, with school-age children enrolled in nearby inclusive units rather than distant boarding schools, and adults working in workshops rather than on the streets.