State to rescue persons with disability hidden by families

The government will start rescuing people living with disabilities who are hidden by their relatives.

National Fund for Disabled in Kenya board of trustees member Julia Ojiambo on Wednesday expressed concern that families are still hiding their disabled members.

Ojiambo said they are either locked inside a room or tied up in their houses as they are perceived to be a shame. She said families need to be enlightened on their roles in society.

“Families have failed to accept their conditions, therefore, being unable to talk about them. Due to this, they have missed out on important funds from the government and well-wishers,” Ojiambo said in Lari.

“The government has a lot of funds to support the PLWDs.  However, when giving these funds, we realise that some of them were hidden by their families.”

Ojiambo appealed to society to help the government identify all the PLWDs and register them.

Ojiambo led the fund in distributing entrepreneurship equipment such as farming, salon, car washing, knitting and tailoring machines.

She was accompanied by board officials, Lari deputy county commissioner Agnes Karoki and Kijabe assistant county commissioner Geraldine Barasa.

Karoki warned that they will use chiefs, assistant chiefs and Nyumba Kumi officials to bring out all the hidden PLWD’s.

She said such families need to be enlightened on deformities and disabilities since they are born with such conditions or get them later in life and become permanent.

“When one is born with a disability, there is nothing much one can do about it. Others acquire during their lifetime. The most important thing is to accept and move on,” she said.

Ojiambo asked the PLWDs to support the government since it sets aside money to support them, urging them to ensure all PLWDs from their villages are registered.

Mary Wanja, a person living with disability, said she was lucky to receive salon equipment.

“My cousin taught me about hairdressing and beauty. I will now open a salon, she said. 

Edited by Kiilu Damaris