Fatma Wangare Haji is the Executive Officer of the Kenya Association of the Intellectually Handicapped (KAIH), a national organization that works with parents and guardians of youths who are intellectually handicapped. KAIH is aimed at eliminating the “disability” barriers in the environment, and it affirms that all human beings irrespective of their disabilities have certain rights which are inalienable. KAIH’s overall objective is to build a society that recognizes and protects the rights of PWIDs and their families to ensure that they are included in all aspects of life within their communities.
Fatma, herself a parent of an adult child with an intellectual disability, started her journey with KAIH in 2004 as a volunteer, becoming CEO by 2008. She has written numerous articles on cultural and attitudinal disabling barriers and the human rights abuses suffered by mentally disabled women and girls. Her primary mission is to combat discriminatory practices and educate the public about common myths and misconceptions about disabled persons.