Lack of information cited among challenges facing PWDs

Several barriers have been cited as contributing factors which continue to be a hindrance to the growth of persons living disabilities in North Eastern.

Among them is the challenge of movement from where they live to relevant offices,  lack of information on how to access funds and the technicality of the forms they are supposed to feel to access the funds.

This came out on Saturday during a meeting that was attended by persons living with disabilities and which brought together a section of agencies and officials from both the National and County governments.

Speaking on the sidelines of the meeting that was held at a Garissa hotel on Monday, Northern Nomadic Disabled Persons Organization (NONDO) team leader Fatuma Mohamed revealed that there has been a gap in disseminating information to people with disabilities.

"Through sensitization and awareness creation of opportunities from government agencies such as the county revolving fund, the Uwezo and youth fund, the women enterprise fund and the Inua Jamii programs, we are seeking to help the PWDs with information and ease the process for them to access the services," she said.

Fatuma said that they have rolled out plans to link PWDs to empowerment opportunities in both national and county governments and other donors to improve their livelihoods.

She said that most PWDs were hit hard by COVID-19 and that they saw a need to help them recover by connecting them to information on funding and government tenders.

“We realized that when COVID-19 hit, the most affected people were PWDs and their livelihoods were affected. So we thought that there could be government interventions and we sought to find out how the PWDs could find these opportunities,” Fatuma said.

She added:

“We found out there were barriers which were keeping PWDs from these opportunities and today we have brought together the government officials of the relevant agencies to better explain to the PWDs how better to access these openings and we are glad that the information is now out and the people will be well guided,” she added.

Fatuma further asked officials to always help the PWDs seeking services with the technicalities of the forms, especially those seeking funding or tenders to boost their income.

Garissa County CEC for Gender, culture, youth and Sports Hawa Abdi said that the county administration in support of PWDs had created a whole directorate headed by a Chief Officer for People with disability affairs which will help in empowering them.

The CEC further revealed that the PWDs in the county have been receiving wheelchairs, and business startup tools to help them run businesses and generate income.

A section of the PWDs we spoke to during the session was satisfied with the information shared and promised to form groups to access the financing through the government affirmative action programs funding.

Hodhan Farah also an official from Nondo said that women living with disabilities are more disadvantaged since they are the ones who are denied fundamental basic rights among them the right to education.

She said that even when it comes to employment not many are considered for employment, this is despite some of them meeting the required qualifications.

“So what we are saying is that we are human beings like any other and all we are asking from our communities is to treat us with respect and dignity. We are not asking for favours but a fair level playing ground," she said.