A Story of Faith,
Hope and
Rising Above
From a single priest's vision and 35 abandoned children to a national referral centre. Nyabondo's journey is a testament to what compassion can achieve over six decades.
The Cry of the Hopeless
In 1963, a Mill Hill Priest from the Netherlands, Rev. Father John Kutner, was walking through the villages of Western Kenya. What he saw broke his heart.
Children with disabilities were crawling in the dust, hidden away by families ashamed or unable to care for them. No food, no clothes, no hope. Father Kutner could not look away. With nothing but deep faith and a few generous hearts, he opened a small home for 35 of these children. He called it the John F. Kennedy Memorial Home for Crippled Children.
These children were crawling and hopeless. We knew we had to do something, not out of pity, but out of love.
Rev. Fr. John Kutner, Founder
It was not a hospital. It was not a grand centre. It was a promise: that every child, regardless of disability, deserves dignity, care, and a chance to rise.
The Hands That Carried the Vision
After Father Kutner's initial work, the Franciscan Missionary Sisters for Africa (FMSA) took over the management. These Irish nuns brought not only nursing skills but a fierce commitment to the abandoned.
For nearly three decades they ran the home, expanding its reach and reputation. In 1989, the Franciscan Sisters of Saint Anna (FSSA) received the baton. Under their leadership, what began as a shelter grew into a true rehabilitation centre, with a surgery unit, a therapy department, and an orthopaedic workshop.
Today, Rev. Sr. Ludovena Anyango Onyino leads the Centre, supported by a nine-member Board appointed by the Archdiocese of Kisumu. The sisters still walk the wards, pray with families, and ensure every patient is treated as a child of God.
Meet our leadership team From a Home to a Centre of Excellence
Over the decades, Nyabondo evolved. What started as a place of refuge became a referral Physical Rehabilitation Centre for Western Kenya and beyond.
Thousands of children and adults have received corrective surgeries for clubfoot, cleft lip, post-burn contractures, and congenital deformities. Our physiotherapy and occupational therapy teams work daily to restore movement and independence. And our orthopaedic workshop produces custom prosthetics, orthotics, and mobility aids, all on-site and made to fit the individual.
- 1963 — 35 children, one priest, one promise
- Today — over 50,000 persons served
- Impact — national and regional referral centre
Mission, Vision and Motto
Our Mission
Provision of quality rehabilitation and medical services through corrective surgery, therapy, and assistive devices to persons with disabilities in a safe and secure environment.
Our Vision
To be a referral centre of excellence in the provision of integral, comprehensive rehabilitation services that are affordable and accessible to all persons with disabilities in Kenya.
Our Motto
Rising above Disability
The Road Ahead: Challenges and How You Can Help
For all our successes, the need is still far greater than our resources. Every week, we turn away patients because we lack beds, equipment, or funds for their surgery.
Donor fatigue has reduced support, and our infrastructure struggles to keep pace with demand. Yet we refuse to give up.
- Inadequate and shrinking financial support
- Overwhelming demand for services
- Ageing infrastructure and equipment
We are seeking new partners, donors, and volunteers to walk with us. Your support, whether a one-time gift, a monthly pledge, or a corporate partnership, translates directly into more surgeries, more therapy sessions, more assistive devices, and more children walking for the first time.
We Walk With Others
Our work is made possible by these incredible organisations.
Become Part of Our Story
Whether you are a person with a disability seeking care, a family member, a donor, or a volunteer, Nyabondo welcomes you.