The National Fund for the Disabled of Kenya (NFDK) has spent close to Sh. 500 million this year to empower thousands of Kenyans with disabilities.
NFDK board of trustees Vice Chairperson Mike Kiswili stated that Sh. 160 million were used to buy assistive devices, tools of trades and develop educational institutions handling Persons with Disabilities (PWDs).
Kiswili said the massive investments are in tandem with the objective of the fund to enhance social and economic empowerment of PWDs in all 47 counties.
He added that the fund has further utilized Sh. 355 million on countywide intervention measures geared towards empowering Kenyans with disabilities, pledging more support to continue uplifting the vulnerable members of the society.
The fund has been utilized in the construction of dormitories, classrooms and other amenities in public primary, secondary and vocational colleges, workshops and water catchments across the country.
“A total of Sh. 80 million worth of donations will go to institutions and another donation of Sh. 80 million will go to individuals in the form of mobility aids, rehabilitative equipment and tools of trade,” added Kiswili.
Speaking at Coast regional headquarters Uhuru na Kazi building during presentation of donations within Mombasa county, Kiswili revealed that 20,835 targeted groups have benefited from the programme.
The NFDK board of trustees and senior management gave grants worth Sh. 4.9 million and assistive devices and tools of trade worth Sh. 400,000 to 15 individuals in the county.
“After this launch, our team will now embark on the distributions to other sub-counties in the region where all the applicants shall receive their donations,” added the fund Vice Chair.
The Fund trustees Masden Madoka challenged the Kenyan society to support the disabled in their neighborhoods with empowerment programmes that would make them self-dependent.
“One way of empowering them is to provide them with training and equipment that would enable them to start income generating activities,” added Madoka.
He said NFDK will tour the entire Coast region to provide devices to institutions and individuals in the region and challenged institutions handling PWDs and individuals to apply to the fund for more support.
The board of trustees urged Coast residents to reach out to the fund through different levels of the National Government Administrative Officers (NGAO) structures.
“We have presence from the regional to sub-location level. You just need to visit your local Chief’s office to get the NFDK assistance form to apply for help,” added Kiswili.
Present during the event were the fund Acting Chief Executive Officer, Anthony Muli, Mombasa County Commissioner John Otieno, Deputy County Commissioners Ronald Mwiwawi (Mombasa) and his Likoni counterpart William Wambugu among others.
By Galgalo Bocha
