Daddy Owen hosts Malaika Tribute Awards

The event brought together individuals and organisations that promote the rights, wellbeing and independence of persons with disabilities.

The Malaika Tribute Awards seek to mobilise musicians and public figures in order to create awareness on issues affecting persons with disabilities in all aspects of political, social, economic and cultural life. The awards are held annually alongside the International Day of Persons with disabilities which is observed every 3rd day of December.

Founder, Daddy Owen expressed that the awards are close to his heart since he is a person living with disability. “There are wrong misconceptions and assumptions about our abilities. That was the main reason I started Malaika Tribute Award to celebrate achievements by people with various forms of disabilities. Every year we award individuals for the exploits they do in society but this year we wanted to highlight the role organisations play in the promotion of diversity and inclusion in the case of PWDs”, he said.

This year’s theme for the Malaiaka Tribute Awards aimed to raise awareness of invisible disabilities that still impact people’s lives. Such disabilities include learning differences, chronic pain or fatigue, sight or hearing impairments, diabetes, brain injuries, neurological disorders, or cognitive dysfunctions.

Several organisations were awarded for their role in advocating for persons with disability and highlighting the role they play in the society at the awards. The organisations include: Deaf eLimu Plus Limited for persons with hearing disability, Heshima Children’s Centres representing children with special needs, Utugi Angels representing children with multiple disabilities and Kenya Society for the Blind on their advocacy on persons with visual impairment. For their role in promoting persons living with albinism and supporting climate change, Save Our Rivers Initiative was feted. Nayomi Wafula from Safaricom PLC received a Special Recognition for her advocacy for PWDs. Others feted were Special Olympics Kenya that saves athletes with intellectual disabilities, Kamili Organisation for their wide-ranging support for persons with psychosocial disabilities, and for their support for youth and children with disabilities, Action Network for the disabled also received an award. The Disabled Empowerment Society of Kenya was recognised for its role in supporting more than 800 persons with physical disabilities from informal settlements while Vitiligo Society of East Africa was awarded for ensuring persons living with vitiligo access education opportunities.

The organisations were recognised for their role in empowering persons with disabilities on critical issues such as climate change, education, mental health, access to healthcare, equality and inclusion, children’s rights, and youth empowerment.

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