The National Fund for the Disabled of Kenya (NFDK) has donated Sh14 million to Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) and learning institutions with disabled students across the Nyanza region.
This includes the provision of grants, mobility aids, assistive devices and tools of trade.
Speaking during the launch, NFDK Chairperson, Prof Julia Ojiambo said that they have issued small grants of Sh3.4 million to 17 institutions of learning across the Nyanza region.
“We have also presented rehabilitative devices and trade tools worth Sh 512,750 to 15 individuals drawn from Kisumu Central and Kisumu West sub-counties,” she said during the ceremony held at the Nyanza Regional Office in Kisumu recently.
“We have undertaken a total of 32 flagship projects in various institutions across the region for Sh 3 million per project. They include dormitories, classroom blocks, dining halls and ICT labs,” Prof Ojiambo said in a speech read on her behalf by Anne Mugambi.
According to the World Health Organization statistics, PWDs account for 15 per cent of the global population, making them the largest minority.
Additionally, she stated that many existing barriers hinder PWDs from making progress in society, including economic, social, attitudinal, physical, legal, political and even cultural barriers.
These barriers exclude PWD from fully and effectively participating in society
This leads to limited opportunities for access to education, employment, healthcare, transportation and infrastructure, as well as political participation and access to justice.
The funds, therefore, seek to mitigate the barriers by offering support services to PWDs through the provision of resources, promoting awareness and advocacy.
“Our programmes are aimed at promoting self-reliance and inclusive livelihoods through entrepreneurship activities as these activities contribute to the reduction of poverty among persons with disabilities as well as their social inclusion,” said Prof Ojiambo.
She emphasized independence and inclusion through offering rehabilitative equipment and interventions as well as funding early intervention Programmes.
Prof Ojiambo further urged the PWDs who benefited from the tools of trades that included sewing machines and salon items to take good care of the equipment.
“Don’t be deceived into selling them as they will be keenly following how they are being used through the regional office. For those running the institutions, put these grants to the intended good use for which they are purposed,” she stated.
Nyanza Regional Commissioner, Flora Mworoa applauded the initiative taken by the National Disability Fund.
“The program has continued to empower many PWDs across the region,” Mworoa said.
