A programme meant to empower People Living with Disabilities (PLWDs) in Samburu County has failed to achieve its objectives over high illiteracy among the targeted beneficiaries.
The General Secretary for the National Independent Church of Africa Disabled programme, David Nica said lack of education among the PLWDS had made it hard for the programme to be cascaded down to the members of the vulnerable group.
“My institution management has tried its level best to help the less fortunate in the society but it has been difficult to communicate with the prospective targets,” Nica lamented.
He said the programme based at Maralal town was experiencing other challenges among them, lack of proper communication to the members especially during the empowerment sessions and lack of general resources because the programme doesn’t have a steady source of income.
Variety training components and services such as teaching, training and capacity building are offered to the PLWDs to enable them use the skills taught to earn a living.
They are also helped to draft proposals for their own projects such as poultry keeping whereby at the end they sell eggs and chicken to earn a living instead of entirely depending on well wishers for their livelihood.
“Talents are also nurtured here as the PLWDs are encouraged to participate in various sports in the county during the cultural days grouped in various categories of the physically challenged, visually impaired, mentally challenged, shortsightedness and Albinism.
The challenges, Nica noted, forces his office to seek help from well wishers including national and county governments but of which “we sometimes end up receiving empty pledges from them.
He however said that local vernacular radio stations had provided a relieve as the programme uses them to reach out to the well wishers and the PLWDs majority of whom listen and understand the messages so passed.
Founded in 2006, with the aim of helping the disabled persons in the County, the programme has also some groups on the ground to help reach out to the people.
“We also reach out to people through leaders’ forums during events organised by leaders among them chiefs and their assistants, county officials and members of parliament
To generate more revenue the management plans to drill boreholes to start selling water to the local community members along with opening a hotel to help feed the PLWDs and also raise money to help the disabled.
By Fabian Simiyu/Petikas Lelendu
