People living with disabilities (PLWD) have benefitted from artificial limbs and calipers in an initiative organized by North Imenti legislator in collaboration with Narayan Seva Sansthan, an organization from India.
Speaking at the Constituency Development Funds (NG-CDF) offices in Meru town during the issuance of the artificial limbs and calipers on Friday, the Public Service and Gender Cabinet Secretary (CS), Prof. Margaret Kobia, urged Kenyans to help the government in passing information to people living with disabilities so that they can benefit from State and Non-State partners.
Prof. Kobia observed that there are many PLWDs but lack information on how they can be helped lead a normal life.
She commended the government in partnership with Narayan Seva Sansthan for coming up with the program that will help people living with disability, saying service to humanity is service to God.
Prof. Kobia encouraged the people with disability to register their groups in order to get funds from the government.
“The government has set aside affirmative fund that is meant to support the youth and the people with disability to make sure that you register your groups in order to benefit,” said the CS.
The CS said that with the support of artificial limbs people with disability will be able to engage in income generating activities on their own without depending on others.
“Those who have not been having hands and legs can now move on their own to set up small businesses,” she noted.
The Imenti North Member of Parliament (MP), Rahim Dawood announced that a total of 25 people have benefited from the artificial limbs and calipers during the two-day free medical camp.
He said there was an overwhelming turn up of people in need of equipment from the county being the first ever camp in support of people living with physical disability.
“A total of 219 people have already been enlisted in need of the artificial limbs as of day one and we expect more,” posed the MP.
He also mentioned that there were some unsuspecting people within Meru town taking advantage of the people with disability and asked the security agencies to investigate the matter.
“There are certain people who drop people with disability in town and after begging the whole day while being scorched by the sun they pick them up again in the evening” the MP decried.
Dawood offered to donate ten bicycles to people living with disability to help them establish mobile businesses.
He said the number of beggars were on the rise with some being ferried from far off regions hence the need to come up with programs aimed at salvaging the situation.
The Narayan Seva Sansthan Vice Chair, Dr. Suriya Kant said that they have been conducting such initiatives in conformation with their mission of service to humanity.
“We came to Meru after seeing that our brothers and sisters from Meru are in dire need of equipment but they lack means,” he added, saying that they have had similar camps in Nairobi and Mombasa.
By Richard Muhambe/Mercy Kabuya
