National Government through the State Department of Gender and Social Development has disbursed Sh165 million to Persons with Severe Disabilities (PWDS) in Makueni County for the last eight years under the social protection programme.
Currently, more than 1, 200 PWDs have benefited from the Cash Transfer for Persons with Severe Disabilities (PWSD) since its inception in 2010.
The disclosure was made Monday by County Commissioner Maalim Mohammed during celebrations to mark the International Day of Disability at Mutyamboo primary school in Mukaa Sub County.
Maalim said the funds were meant to improve livelihoods of people with disabilities and had helped alleviate poverty among the beneficiaries.
He reiterated the government’s commitment in empowering PWDs and called on the County Government and other state and non-state organisations to mainstream disability for inclusivity.
“People with disabilities should not be discriminated and should be well represented in both levels of government,” said the County Commissioner.
A representative of the PWDs in Makueni Ben Nguluu decried low participation of people with disabilities in co-curricular activities in the county and called on both the national and the county governments to invest in special fields for PWDs.
“We lack fields and devices for PWDs where we can practice and showcase the special talents and also enable us to participate in sports at the national and international levels,” said Nguluu.
The representative also called for more support from the two levels of government and urged the County Government to give PWDs grants as opposed to loans under the county Tetheka Fund.
“The county government should give PWDs grants not loans because it is very difficult for them to repay the money,” he added.
Speaking at the same forum, County Gender and Social Services Chief Officer Diana Muli promised that the County Government would review the guidelines of the Tetheka Fund to make it more accessible to PWDs.
“We shall conduct a public participation exercise and see how the fund can be well utilized,” said Ms. Muli.
By Roselyne Kavoo
