The tennis star rising above disability to change society

It's a beautiful Wednesday morning when I meet Jane Ndenga at the Nairobi Club.

Her infectious laughter and warm smile immediately light up the surroundings.

"I've been looking forward to telling my story, and finally, the day is here," she says, beaming with excitement.

Ndenga sits comfortably in her wheelchair as I pull up a chair to listen to her incredible journey.

She is a sportswoman with disability and has specialised in wheelchair tennis. 

Her story begins at the tender age of five, when polio left her paralysed from the waist down.

Despite 21 unsuccessful operations and years of battling low self-esteem, she has emerged as a beacon of strength and resilience.

In 2018, she was named Sports Personality of The Year with a Disability, having represented Kenya in the Wheelchair Tennis World Cup in 2014, 2017 and 2018.

Born and raised in Siaya, she is the third born in her family.

"I wasn't born with a disability, but polio left me paralysed,” she says.

"I got the polio vaccine at five years old, which was quite late. I ended up paralysed from the waist down, which is a physical disability.

“It took a lot of work to be where I am mentally and physically. I thank God for enabling me to accept myself and pursue my career in tennis."

AWARDS AND HONOURS

As a board member of Tennis Kenya, Ndenga represents wheelchair tennis and is also an International Tennis Federation of Africa Player at the ITF Wheelchair Council. She represents Africa on issues of wheelchair tennis. 

She says her experience as a tennis player has taught her humility and boosted her self-esteem.

 "I can tell you that if I compare myself with other women with disabilities who are not in sports, there's a big difference. Sports opened up the world to me and taught me that there's life beyond disability," she says. 

Ndenga started playing wheelchair tennis in 2012, and after some training, she got into the national team.

The award-winning sportswoman joined disability sports in 2018 with wheelchair basketball, then volleyball and finally powerlifting. She continued to train for all sports until she was picked as secretary of the Volleyball Federation. 

"When wheelchair tennis was introduced, I took a challenge to participate and I made it to the national team in 2012,” she says.

"I got into the national team after training for I think less than a month, and I fell in love with wheelchair tennis. Since then, it has become my primary sport."

Ndenga also shares her achievements, which she says make her feel so proud of where she has come from. 

"My proudest moments were when I first qualified for the World Team Cup in 2014, 2017 and 2018, and the best of all is when I won the Sports Personality of the Year Award in 2018,” she says.

“In 2013, I won the Kenya Open, both singles and doubles. In 2018, [I made it to the] Africa World Team Cup Qualifiers, and qualified two times for Karen Open Championships in 2016 and 2018."

Ndenga has 10 gold medals, three bronzes and nine silver.

She was also awarded by President William Ruto in 2023 with the OGW – Order of the Grand Warrior.

GIVING BACK

Ndenga's journey is a testament to the power of resilience and the impact of sports.

After being awarded the Order of the Grand Warrior, a national honour, her Community-Based Organisation also won the CBO of the Year award. 

A CEO at Disabled Inclusion Node Association, Ndenga says her organisation uses sports as a tool to reach out to children and youths with disabilities in the community. 

“I started this organisation to empower people with or without disabilities,” she says.

“I found out that as persons with disabilities, we don't get quality health care and we don't get the education we are supposed to be getting. 

“Using sports has helped me because now through the organisation, I have 30 children that I am helping.

“One got a grade B and another one got a B-. I am so happy and looking forward to ensuring they complete their studies.”

Ndenga says another student with a disability also did well after scoring a grade D, which according to her is something to be proud of.

 “I'm so happy that I'm doing what I'm doing. I'm now in sports and I'm doing great and meeting the desires of my heart.”   

Ndenga supports not only children but also members of her community in Lucky Summer. 

Triza Mukui is one of the beneficiaries, and she has a physical disability. 

“I was born without a disability. But I later started developing health issues (pneumonia and malaria). Due to this, I didn't receive my polio vaccination on time hence I was diagnosed with poliomyelitis at the age of three,” Mukui says.

“I met Jane at Nyayo Stadium during basketball training, and she introduced me to her organisation DiNA. The organisation has helped me. Through the DiNA foundation, I have received mentorship, which has enabled me to accept my condition.”

Mukui says the programme also offers sanitary towels to girls, and she is one of the beneficiaries.

“I appreciate Jane for her efforts to ensure children go to school through paying their fees. It's the best gift to give to our future generations, especially persons with disabilities, for creating a better tomorrow,” she says. 

“I am looking forward to benefiting through a women's empowerment programme, whereby I can start my own business that will enable me to cater for my daily needs.”

Mukui says there are enough legislations to support PWDs, but urges the government to do more by supporting organisations such as DiNA to continue empowering PWDs. 

“I thank the organisation for the good job they are doing because that is an inspiration, especially to persons with disabilities,” she says. 

COACH'S SUPPORT

Peter Rakuom, Ndenga’s coach, speaks highly of her determination.

“When we started working together, it used to be a push and pull here and there because of the philosophy that she used to have," the Tennis Kenya coach says.

"For her, starting when she was a grown-up was difficult because she was not used to people telling her, 'Do this and you have to do it'. 

“After some time we understood each other, but my greatest challenge was understanding each disability depending on the level. But Ndenga’s was a bit different and after some time, we understood each other.”

Rakuom says Ndenga was just thrown in to play a tournament that she had never played, and it was not easy.

“But she managed well and stayed at the top and has been a top player not only in Kenya but also across EAC,” he says.

Rakuom says people used to tell Ndenga to stop playing and leave the game to young players, but she kept playing.

“She has represented the country many times with the help of my fellow coaches Lawrence Karanja and Peter Wachira. It’s not been easy but so far so good, and we believe even with the Paralympics, we shall go,” he says.

Rakuom says PWD players face many challenges, such as finding opponents with better equipment and better wheelchairs, yet they are using what was donated years before.

“But we tell them to compete with what they have,” he says.

“People are amazed that Ndenga wins matches. They always ask her how she wheels. But she has been working and all that matters is working hard.”

Rakuom says Ndenga believes people can diversify into different kinds of sports and not only tennis.

He says it was easy for Ndenga to integrate into tennis by playing sitting volleyball.

"The journey now is the Paralympics. We have several players and we are hoping for the best.”

Rakuom also says they do not discriminate against PWDs. They are open to everyone.

“Come one, come all. We even have deaf players,” he says.

Ndenga’s coach also advises parents who have children with disabilities not to lock them at home but to let them go out and do sports. He says the national government has continued to support PWDs.

"On several occasions, I have seen the government coming in to support wheelchair tennis. It has been a pleasure," Rakuom says.

"We normally strive and uplift the sport. When we went to Ghana for the Paralympic games, no one knew about wheelchair tennis but we came back with silver. It was a very big boost.  

"The national government has been supportive. But I request county governments to come and support the local events even as they support the national ones.”

RIGHTS FIGHT

Francis Anyenda is the assistant director for public communications at the National Council for Persons with Disabilities.

He says stakeholders in the disability agenda in Kenya operate within various legislative and policy instruments that promote the interests and rights of PWDs. 

On whether there are enough policies and legislations to support PWDs, Anyenda says the Constitution entrenches the incorporation of regional and international instruments in the national legislative frameworks.

Some of these laws and treaties include: the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.

Others are the East African Community Disability Policy, the Protocol to the African Charter on Human Rights and Peoples Rights on the rights of Persons with Disabilities in Africa, among others.

“At the national level, the Constitution confers upon its citizens, including PWDs the right to the enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms," Anyenda said.

“Persons with Disabilities Act 2003 provides for the rights, rehabilitation and equal opportunities for Persons with Disabilities. It creates the NCPWD as a statutory organ to oversee the welfare of PWDs.” 

Anyenda says the initiatives include implementing initiatives that promote disability mainstreaming in all the society and providing empowerment and livelihood support.

Others are supporting education and training for PWDs and maintaining a database on PWDs through registration and collection of data.

“Despite the progress made in advancing the rights and inclusion of persons with disabilities, significant challenges persist, hindering their full participation and enjoyment of fundamental rights,” he says.

Some of the key challenges include limited accessibility to public spaces, discrimination and stigma, lack of inclusive education, inadequate health care, poverty and economic marginalisation.

He says to advance support for PWDs, both the county and national governments can undertake concerted efforts: through policy review and enhancement, legislative reforms, capacity building, public awareness and sensitisation, resource allocation and partnerships and collaboration by all stakeholders.

This story has been produced by the Star in partnership with WAN IFRA Women in News Social Impact Reporting Initiative