United Nations Person Of The Year

Many a times parents do not know their children have been affected by polio until it’s too late. This is the story of the newly appointed Goodwill Immunization Ambassador Harold Kipchumba.

Hon, Harold has become the face and advocate for immunization and effort to eradicate polio in Kenya.

He was affected at a very tender age, his parents moved him from one hospital to another, they even tried using traditional herbs without any lucky.

Doctors at KNH discovered his problem. Young Kipchumba had contracted polio, a disease that weakened the limbs and could not be reversed. He stayed in the hospital for five more months as the doctors tried to support him by offering physiotherapy sessions which helped to strengthen his arms and stabilize him.

After the hospital they moved him to Nyabondo Home for disabled children in Siaya, where he spent seven years as he was schooling. He passed his national examination and was admitted to Lenana School.

His family was alienated, stigmatized and isolated by the community because of their son’s condition. A condition like this was seen as a witch craft practices so everyone was keeping away.

“Nyabondo Mission gave me a sense of belonging and acceptance because I found many other children with disability, for the first time I felt I was not alone and there was actually a lot I could do,” he says.

Following the Polio outbreak in Kenya and the region, The Ministry of Health and partners, UNICEF and WHO, embraced him and brought him on board

Kipchumba offered to support the response efforts. Since then, he has become the unforgettable voice and face that represents the effort to stop polio in Kenya and sustain other immunization schedules.

In the past two-and-half years, he has become the face of polio and immunization with most people able to recognize him because of his face on polio campaign posters.

“Don’t let any one child go through what I have gone through. Had my mum known about the two drops for polio vaccination 50 years ago, this would not have happened”

This statement is what has earned him this year’s recognition by the United Nations for making a difference.

His story is just one of the many stories we hear of people making a different regardless you their disability.