NAIVASHA GAVE ME BEAUTY, & HEARTBREAK ALL AT ONCE

23rd September 2025 was one of those days that stay with you long after they’re gone. I travelled to Naivasha for the International Day of Sign Languages, and wow, it was beautiful. The energy, the conversations, the community… I enjoyed every single part of it.

I’ve been in the disability space for a while, but for the longest time, my focus was mainly on physical disabilities. I never really thought deeply about the Deaf community, their language, their struggles, and their resilience. But a few months ago, I stepped into this world, and suddenly, everything shifted. I started to see how often Deaf people are left out, how costly exclusion really is. And now? I’m committed to being part of the change; first in myself, then in my community, and if I dream big enough, for the world too😊

Let me share the moment that touched me most yesterday

In the middle of all the talking hands and celebration, I met this gorgeous baby girl. She had the most unique, bright blue eyes I have ever seen. Honestly, I couldn’t stop staring like, how could such a tiny human carry eyes that looked like little oceans? And it wasn’t just the color. She was so full of life; smiling, lively, radiating pure joy. You couldn’t help but love her on sight. Then I looked up and realized her mom had the same eyes. And so did her grandmother. Three generations, all carrying this beautiful gift from nature. It felt magical, like I had stumbled into a secret piece of art.

Later, as we travelled back to Nairobi, I kept thinking about the baby and her mom. And then the mother’s story hit me again. She had told us something so heavy… she got her baby through rape.

That broke me 😔😭

It’s one thing to see her smiling, holding her little girl with so much love. But it’s another to know the pain behind that smile. She’s Deaf, and months ago, someone took advantage of her. Someone decided that her silence, her vulnerability, made her an easy target. And now, she carries a scar too deep to measure, a scar that turned into a child. I sat by the van window, lost in thought. So many questions rushed through my mind. Did she ever get justice? Does she think of that moment every time she looks into her daughter’s blue eyes? Does she have the support she needs to heal? Has anyone ever told her, firmly and clearly, that it wasn’t her fault?

My heart ached💔💔

Because the truth is, too many stories like hers are hidden in the Deaf community. Too many go unheard, unspoken, unresolved. Exclusion doesn’t just mean missing out on education or services, it means being left without justice, without safety, without healing. And yet, what struck me most was her strength. Here she was, smiling, raising her baby, carrying joy and pain all at once. Her baby girl, so full of light, is living proof that even from brokenness, there is still the beautiful side of life.

Sitting there in the van, I felt a mix of emotions. Hope that justice was served. Hope that both the mother and her child will find love and healing. Hope that little Deaf girl will be surrounded by people who protect and uplift her. And honestly? I hoped for myself too that I’ll find the strength to keep carrying these stories without letting them crush me. And in my own way, I can keep standing up for voices like hers.

Naivasha gave me joy, beauty, and heartbreak all at once. But most importantly, it reminded me of why I’m here; to listen, to learn, to share, and to fight for a world where no one is left behind.

THOSE WERE ECHOES FROM NAIVASHA!!