KAWE was established in Nairobi in 1982 by Mrs. Caroline Pickering to address the problem of epilepsy in Kenya. She became interested in the condition after her daughter developed epilepsy at the age of twelve.It was quite apparent to her that there was very little knowledge about the extent of the problem in Kenya; social support was inadequate and there was a lack of appropriate medical care. From a single-person organization in 1982, KAWE has grown into a national entity governed by a voluntary board of 6 directors.