The National Fund for the Disabled of Kenya has asked persons with disabilities to apply for assistance from the fund to better their lives.
The fund’s Vice Chairman, Peter Nyakiamo said that although Sh.300 million is available annually, the number of applicants’ countrywide was not very impressive.
He said the fund raises Sh.100 million from its own sources and gets Sh.200 million from the National Treasury annually, which it is expected to be used to buy trade tools for persons with disabilities.
Speaking in Malindi where he distributed tools of trade to persons with disabilities, Nyakiamo urged all persons with disabilities to be registered with the National Council for Persons with Disabilities to qualify for funding.
“We raise Sh.100 million from the three rental houses the fund has in Nairobi annually, while the National Treasury gives us Sh.200 million to assist persons with disabilities, but the response from those targeted has not been very impressive,” he said.
The former cabinet minister in the Daniel arap Moi’s administration said the fund had in the 2018/2019 financial year distributed tools worth about Sh.200 million in the past one year, which included a paltry Sh.6.8 million spent on individuals and institutions in the Coast region.
Of the amount spent in the Coast region, individual persons with disabilities received tools worth Sh.3.8 million while institutions got Sh.3 million.
“I would like to state that the government cares for persons with disabilities, that is why it started the fund in 1980 to ensure that they live productive lives,” he said, while lauding former President Moi for initiating the fund then.
His sentiments were echoed by Nominated Member of County Assembly, Victoria Atieno Nyamolo, who asked parents with children with disabilities to expose them to get assistance.
She also called on the fund trustees to increase the number of application forms and distribute them to the grassroots for many eligible persons with disabilities to access funding to improve their lives.
Nyakiamo, who was flanked by Fund Manager, Anthony Muli, distributed carpentry tool kits, sewing machines and hair dressing (salon) kits as well as cheques for the purchase of livestock among others.
By Emmanuel Masha
