Our Why, Our Mission, & Vision Statement
WHY WE DO WHAT WE DO
Girls & youth with disabilities face systemic barriers including poverty, limited access to education, unemployment, and social exclusion. These challenges are reinforced by stigma and inadequate support systems, preventing them from achieving independence and full participation in society. At Gifted Community Center, we exist to break this cycle by creating inclusive opportunities, empowering youth, and driving sustainable, community-led change.
OUR MISSIONEnhancing the socio-economic independence of girls & youth with disabilities, and their families in the informal settlements and colleges of Kenya.
Our Strategic Impact Areas
Gifted Community Center (GCC) empowers girls & youth with disabilities through education, leadership development, community-driven programs, and economic empowerment initiatives. Our work focuses on three key areas: strengthening networks of girls & youth with disabilities and their organizations, implementing inclusive community development interventions, and promoting entrepreneurship and employment through our Business & Innovation Hub. Together, these efforts advance inclusion, opportunity, and sustainable livelihoods for girls & youth with disabilities across Kenya.
Network of Girls & Youth with Disabilities & Organizations
GCC hosts and strengthens a nationwide network of youth with disabilities, disability-led organizations, and student associations, amplifying their voices and advancing disability inclusion through leadership, advocacy, and capacity building. Read More
Community Development Interventions
Through inclusive education, health programming, sustainable livelihoods, and leadership development, GCC addresses barriers facing girls & youth with disabilities while promoting community-led solutions. Read More
Business & Innovation Hub (Talanta Hub)
Talanta Hub empowers girls & youth with disabilities through entrepreneurship, skills development, mentorship, business incubation, and employment opportunities that foster economic independence and sustainable livelihoods. Read More
our impact in numbers
Through mentorship, education, and empowerment programs, Gifted Community Center continues
to transform lives
and create opportunities for girls & youth with disabilities. Our work has reached
thousands of individuals, caregivers, and communities, driving inclusion and sustainable change.
*Testimonials*
GCC has given me the opportunity to explore and connect with meaningful opportunities that introduced me to networks that have contributed to my personal development. Thank you GCC
Sarah
Photographer
Currently working as Customer Experience Executive at one of the top technology companies in Kenya and Africa, I credit Gifted Community Center for equipping me with the self-confidence, networks and opportunities that have shaped my career and personal growth.
Winnie
GCC Ambassador
The GCC offered me an internship opportunity after a year of unsuccessful job search. I was exhausted by mjengo works and my life was in turmoil. The internship program has greatly increased my self-esteem, built a good networking, earn stipends for survival and advanced professionally.
Fred
Photographer
Through my involvement with GCC, I have engaged with numerous organizations within the disability movement, gaining a deeper understanding of the challenges faced by people with disabilities and building my confidence to advocate for their needs.
Daisy
Student & Advocate
Thanks to the timeless effort of Gifted Community Center, I found a safe space to heal and grow. Their support not only equipped me with essential skills for photography but also restored my hope and belief in a brighter future. I'm forever grateful for the community they've built those uplift and empowers Persons with disabilities like me.
Tabby
Photographer
I am grateful to be part of GCC and the Hear Me, See Me project, where receiving a camera and capturing my perspective for the first time is a powerful reminder that my voice and vision matter.
Patricia
Photographer
Latest From our Blog
Stay updated with our latest stories, insights, and program highlights as we
share the impact of empowering youth with disabilities
and building inclusive communities.
Under 35 — a trailblazer, a young woman leader.
July 20th 2026
Gcc
We must give flowers while we are alive, and today, we celebrate Dr. Sarah Musau, a visionary whose leadership continues to inspire current and future generations. Her tenacity, resilience, and unwavering patience with the youth dividend set her apart. Some know her as an academician, others as a diplomat, and many as one of the most influential disability‑inclusion experts in Kenya and beyond. Let’s dive in. In her 20s, she: - Earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees and began her PhD journey. - Entered the diplomatic arena, starting at the British High Commission, the United Nations agencies in New York, and other global institutions. - Co‑founded a social impact organization transforming youth leadership, especially for young people with disabilities. - Mentored countless young people, guiding them to study, work, innovate, and build businesses. - Led the operationalization of the first-ever business and innovation hub run by persons with disabilities. Joined different advisory boards as one of the youngest people. At 30, she: - Completed her PhD in International Affairs and Diplomacy and began lecturing. - Formalized the first-ever Network of Youth with Disabilities and College Chapters, now boasting a membership of over 10,000 young people. -Many more we can’t list. She has earned accolades for her work, including being a 2013 peacebuilding fellow, a 2019 UNFPA innovation fellow, a 2024 CLI fellow, and a 2025 Acumen fellow, among others. And still, this list barely scratches the surface. Her heart has always been with the youth dividend. In universities, she mentors students to excel. At the Gifted Community Center (GCC), she empowers youth with disabilities to become socially and economically independent — leaders of themselves and leaders of others. She always tells us, “At GCC, we must grow and shine together.” She has remained true to the cause, choosing to see the brilliance, creativity, and potential of young people even when others doubt them. She believes in a generation capable of shaping a better world. Today, we celebrate the woman who has placed GCC on global stages and impacted over 10,000 young people with disabilities, and continues to do so. We see you. We hear you. We celebrate you — today and always. Thank you for all the work you do. Happy birthday our leader!
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“I have been impacted. My voice is amplified.” Thank you, GCC – By Brandon, college student with physical disability
May 15th 2026
Brandon Mark
“Today, I am more confident, skilled, and ready to face the future. I am deeply grateful for this opportunity, for the belief in my potential, and for helping me build a better path. I look forward to using my skills to make a positive impact in my community.”Joining the Gifted Community Center (GCC) program has truly changed my life. I always had a passion for hands on skills, but I lacked the platform and guidance to explore my potential. Through GCC, I was able to train in Automotive Engineering at the Chixz Garage, where I gained not only mechanical skills but also discipline, confidence, and teamwork. Later, during my attachment at Komarock, I applied what I had learned in a real work environment, sharpened my skills, and proved to myself that I am capable of achieving more than I once thought possible. Throughout this journey, GCC has stood by me with support and encouragement. Today, I am more confident, skilled, and ready to face the future. I am deeply grateful for this opportunity, for the belief in my potential, and for helping me build a better path. I look forward to using my skills to make a positive impact in my community. I, Brandon joined GCC in 2025 and already have a story about GCC and my journey.
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My journey with GCC
November 20th 2025
Jackline Waiharo
My name is Jackline Ndungwa Waiharo, a young woman born with a disability known as scoliosis kyphosis, also known as a “hunchback” in layman’s language. I noticed I was very different at a very tender age because, for the better part of my childhood, I lived with my grandmother in a village in Kangundo, Machakos County, and she wouldn’t let me do any heavy chores with my cousins. My advocacy journey began in late 2018 when I joined the Gifted Community Center, a grassroots organization that champions the rights of young people with disabilities, especially those from underserved communities in Kenya. Before GCC, I had not thought of championing for our rights, I felt useless, my confidence was low, I had low self-esteem and self-love wasn’t a vocabulary to me but in GCC I met people like me and through the weekly capacity trainings, Twitter chats,whatsApp group chats and inspiring stories (peer to peer mentorship) from other young persons with disabilities who had made it in life, I told myself that I matter and I was enough and from then, my journey began. I began attending training where I would go and represent persons with disabilities. I became the voice for the voiceless; my public speaking skills continued to improve day by day, and I started seeing myself as important. I networked more, and I started receiving invitations to speak to various individuals with and without disabilities in different forums, where I would motivate, mentor, and advise them on various matters. Professionally, I am a teacher. Through the capacity building described above, I gained confidence to share with my pupils about disability. You see, in my school, my pupils are always curious about my disability and are very inquisitive, but the first thing I do is open up to them and talk about my disability, and guide them on how to treat children and adults with disabilities. This has fostered a good rapport among us. My secret is to always talk about my disability whenever I meet new people to create inclusiveness and awareness. Since accepting myself, I have accessed many different opportunities: I have had the privilege to work with the former Member of County Assembly Kinoo as a representative of persons with disabilities in the bursary committee from 2017 to 2019. I got the opportunity to attend last year’s ICPD-25 side events organized by Population Bureau Reference (PRB) of the USA, where I talked about challenges facing young women with disabilities when accessing Sexual Reproductive and Health Rights (SRHR). I have been a facilitator at Decent Conversations, an organization that raises awareness on SRHR. I also networked and met a representative of Special Olympics Kenya, who asked me to speak at one of their events. Through the GCC WhatsApp platform, where many opportunities are shared, in 2019, I learnt about the Mandela Washington Fellowship (MWF), the prestigious program founded by former US president Barack Obama in 2010, and I applied. Fortunately, I got it. MWF is very competitive, and I have been honored to be a fellow since 2022 at Georgia State University under the Public Management track. I also applied for the Young African Leaders Initiative Regional Center East Africa (YALI RLC EA) cohort 39, and I was a successful candidate.I received all these opportunities due to my involvement with GCC. Due to the pandemic, the programs were conducted virtually. My reason for applying to these opportunities is to amplify our voices and ensure inclusivity. It’s also a way of involving and speaking to the community that persons with disabilities can do anything that others without disability can do. It’s a message to the community that instead of them seeing our disabilities first, they should see us. I have built networks of over 100 professionals, providing training and guidance on enhancing inclusion in their schools and communities. As my advocacy journey continued and I moved to Nakuru, where I started my own organisation, Safe Haven Spaces, a Kenyan-based women's and youth with disabilities-led non-profit organisation, born from the realisation that children with disabilities face numerous challenges in accessing or staying in school. Safe Haven Spaces advocates for sexual reproductive and health rights services amongst women and girls with disabilities. It equips young people with disabilities in Nakuru, Kenya, with hope, opportunity, and skills. It also empowers children with disabilities who are facing challenges that prevent them from going to school by ensuring that they get quality education. I can’t compare myself now with when I started my advocacy journey. I am more confident, eloquent, and I am always championing for us everywhere I go. I look for inclusivity everywhere, and I am always speaking about it in every corner. I am a preacher of inclusivity, and I am sure one day we shall attain it fully without discrimination. We are far from it because when a person with a disability like myself does a task, e.g., an exercise, making it in life, going shopping, farming, etc., society sees this as a miracle; people should know that we are different and not less. We can participate in any activity given as long as the environment is friendly. In fact, the environment is making us more disabled than our disabilities. My dream one day is to join the parliament and represent persons with disabilities, be their voice, mentor, and above all, instill and ensure change in the society, for there is no us without us. My advice to parents is to teach their children about disability, talk to them about us, and through this, I am confident that the future generation will be more inclusive. Finally, I believe in “I CAN'T BLEND IN WHEN I WAS BORN TO STAND OUT.” I am a GCC ambassador 2018-To date, 2021 Mandela Washington Fellowship Alumni, a 2023 NextGen Tech Camp alumni, a 2022 Alumni Enrichment Institute program, a cohort 39 Young African Leaders Initiative-regional leadership center (YALI RLC), a Young African Leaders Initiative Legal Legacy(YALILL) consultancy, and the Founder and CEO of Safe Haven Spaces.
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How Gifted Community Center Shaped My Journey in Advocacy
October 27th 2025
Isaac Mwenja
In February 2019, I came across a post on social media from Gifted Community Center looking for a Communications Volunteer. At the time, I was a second-year student at Kenyatta University, eager to put into practice what I was learning in class. I applied immediately, and within no time, I was welcomed into the organization. That simple decision would go on to shape the path of my career and my identity as a disability rights advocate.At Gifted Community Center, I began as a Communications Intern, working closely with fellow youth ambassadors and under the mentorship of Sarah, the Director. Sarah introduced us to the world of disability advocacy, giving us the tools and confidence to speak about our rights. Disability advocacy meant more than raising awareness; it was about challenging stigma, pushing for accessibility, and making sure persons with disabilities were included in every aspect of society. Through Sarah’s mentorship, I came to understand that as a young person with a disability, I had the right to education, healthcare, employment, and dignity. This knowledge empowered me to own my voice and to use communication as a tool for change. One of my earliest platforms was social media. From GCC, I began to share stories, spark conversations, and shed light on the challenges and possibilities of disability inclusion. Slowly, I built an online presence that connected me with a wider community of advocates, organizations, and allies. Gifted Community Center also introduced me to Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) advocacy. Here, I learned that young people with disabilities face even greater barriers to accessing accurate sexual health information and services. Advocacy in this space meant ensuring inclusivity, promoting informed choices, and challenging the silence around disability and sexuality. This broadened my scope as an advocate and deepened my commitment to fighting for equity. The foundation I received from GCC opened doors I could never have imagined. Because of the skills, confidence, and mentorship I gained there, I was able to: ● Join Switch TV in 2021 as an Entertainment Producer Intern, where I continued using media as a space for advocacy ● Work at NACADA (2022–2023) as a Communications Intern, contributing to national campaigns against substance abuse and amplifying youth voices. ● Currently I serve at APDK in partnership with 100% for the Children, where I document impact stories, lead communications for child protection and disability rights campaigns, and co-advocate for inclusive SRHR for youth with disabilities. When I think about my journey, everything traces back to Gifted Community Center. It was more than a volunteer opportunity; it was the place where I discovered my rights, my voice, and my purpose. From disability advocacy to SRHR, from media to child protection, all my later achievements stand on the foundation Gifted Community helped me build. Gifted Community Center didn’t just give me a role; it gave me a mission. And that mission continues to guide me today.
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My Game-Changing Journey with Gifted Community Center (GCC)
September 17th 2025
Caterina Nyambura
I will never forget how my journey with Gifted Community Center began, because honestly, it’s kind of funny. I was not invited or discovered through any official process. I simply heard from someone who knew someone that they were starting a project called "Hear Me See Me." When I found out it involved photography, one of my greatest passions, I begged for the link to apply. And when I finally got it, I applied with everything in me. This project utilized the power of photography to raise awareness of the lived experiences of the realities faced by women with disabilities who live in climate-affected communities, amplify their voices, and ultimately ensure that they have a greater role in decision-making around climate disaster risk management (both disaster risk reduction and disaster response, recovery, and preparedness). This single decision changed everything. From Beneficiary to Ambassador I was shortlisted, passed the interview, and entered the project as a beneficiary. But this was just the beginning. Over time, I became one of GCC’s ambassadors — not because of any title, but through my dedication, involvement, and the meaningful bond I formed with the heart of the organization. A Moment of Confidence An outstanding moment happened when one of the project beneficiaries had to drop out of the project due to unavoidable circumstances, and I was asked to step in and provide my perspectives about the DASA process (Disability Inclusion Approach to Social Accountability). I showed up nervous but determined. Then, I was unexpectedly asked for my perspective. I spoke confidently, from the heart, having paid keen attention during the discussions. What happened next took me by surprise: Madam Sarah, the founder, approached me and said, “You are really smart. You had no idea about DASA, yet you have contributed like that? We need to be engaging you more.” She meant it. And over time, that promise has been proven true. Tools, Growth & Impact Through the “Hear Me See Me” Photography Project, I was equipped with climate justice and photography knowledge, and a quality camera. That camera has become more than a tool; it has enabled me to land gigs that help me cover living expenses, many of which come through GCC’s connections and linkages. Having never seen me in action, Sarah believed me when I told her I’m an Emcee as well. She took quite a risk by entrusting me to emcee one of GCC’s big days of 2025 - The Day of their Strategic Plan Launch! I repaid that faith by delivering at my best, and her feedback, as well as the audience present, was proof of that! GCC also recognized my skills as a rapporteur, often inviting me to play that role in meetings. The pinnacle of my journey so far was when, thanks to their trust, I facilitated an international session of Donors and Founders. Me! On an international platform. I’m still in awe of that experience. Looking Ahead Gifted Community Center has not just believed in me, they’ve invested in me. They’ve shown me that it’s possible to rise above limitations, that disability does not determine my worth. As I look to the future, my hope is to grow big enough to support GCC reach even more youths with disabilities, the way they welcomed me. For now, I treasure our relationship, the faith they’ve placed in me, and every opportunity entrusted to my care. Closing Thoughts This is more than just a partnership. It's purpose, it’s people, it’s home. Thank you, Gifted Community Center, for the path paved, the doors opened, and the voice given.
Discover More!Recognition & Awards
▶️Co-chair-Commonwealth Children & Youth Disability Network
▶️Path finder partnerships Award Winner, Segal Family Foundation
▶️Light Up Impact, Impact Badge Winner 2023
▶️World E-Commerce Awards Nominee 2023
▶️IK, Best Organization of the year 2023
Past & Current Partners
