Persons with disabilities (PWD’s) in Nyamira County have received assistive devices to enable them move independently with ease courtesy of the Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) between Rani Ramchandani initiative, ECAP organisation and County government of Nyamira.
Vincent Cheruiyot from Rani Ramchandani initiative Kenya said that Rani’s philanthropic gesture, through her initiative, of donating assistive devices which include wheelchairs, arm and elbow crutches and white canes will enable many vulnerable PWD’s in Nyamira to move around independently without having to necessarily be carried, physically supported or request for a guide.
“Apart from issuing assistive devices to people with disabilities, Rani’s initiative has a mentorship programme for school going children to motivate them concentrate in their studies while in school and be wise when selecting their professional careers for such careers greatly determine how they maneuver to survive in the already saturated job market,” Mr Cheruiyot explained.
Mr Morara Apiemi, the proprietor of Empowered Citizenry Against Poverty (ECAP) organization who partners with Rani Ramchandani initiative said that he envisions a society where good governance will reign so that justice and inclusion of people with disability and those who are economically vulnerable can be empowered to equally appreciate their existence and bolster a sense of belonging within their societies.
“ECAP is ready to partner with individuals, organisations of like minds including government departments to create a strong synergy of helping those in need in society so that we can alleviate poverty,” Apiemi said.
He confirmed that the county government of Nyamira has promised that they will send a team of medical personnel to conduct physical assessment of people with disability at household level and register them because navigating to hospital to be assessed is a real challenge to them. Lack of registration for proper identification has hindered most of them from benefiting from Rani’s initiative.
“This is the second time we have brought the assistive devices to Nyamira County and we shall continue with the programme to help these vulnerable lot to be able to move with ease and undertake some pressing errands on their own without an aid,” explained Apiemi.
Dauglas Onkeo, a great mobiliser for the success of the programme said that stigma is real because households with family members who have a disability hardly give such information to the public or even authorities.
“We want to sensitize people still struggling with stigma and denial to understand that having a disability is not the end of life. We support such households with skills to engage in small scale agricultural ventures to supplement their nutrition and be food secure at home,” Onkeo said.
Onkeo appealed to communities to embrace people with disability, inculcate inclusivity and support them in whatever they do because the majority have unique talents and abilities appreciating the fact that it is not by their own design that they have disabilities.
By Deborah Bochere
