The Mountain Journal
The National Fund for the Disabled of Kenya (NFDK) states of the major challenges in providing support to the institutions caring for persons with disabilities.
The Organisations call on the devolved units, well wishers, development partners and well wishers to channel their support to assist in facilitating the neglected programmes in the institutions caring for the persons living with disabilities.
The board attributed limited allocation of the resources left many deserving projects for the disabled persons go unsupported.
The fund Chairman Prof Francis Kibera disclosed that annually above 10,000 from persons living with disabilities from the counties apply for the support of the devices, and tools earmarked for income-generating activities.
“Out of the number the board has managed to allocate funding to 2,500 beneficiaries who receive support each year,” he said.
During the commissioning of a girls’ dormitory at Muriranjas Rehabilitation Centre in Kahuro, Murang’a County, the Chairman of the NFDK Board of Trustees, Prof Kibera, said they had received requests for financial assistance from the members.
Kibera said due to limited funding only a few projects are supported by the board owing to the budgetary constraints.
He pointed out that annually, the fund receives requests from over 250 applicant institutions serving persons with disabilities, for the establishment of infrastructure projects such as dormitories, classrooms, dining halls, kitchens, vocational training workshops among others..
He said that “ Due to the shortage of funds for the operations in the fund, the board has the capacity to support 60 institutions annually.”
Mr Kibera said in the counties, three classrooms at Muiri Primary School in Nyandarua County, three classrooms at Lukurroto Primary School in Samburu County and two classrooms at Muchatha Primary School in Kiambu County have been funded to completion.
Muriranjas Rehabilitation Centre Deputy Manager Johnson Njoroge said the dormitory will address the institution’s acute shortage of accommodation for female learners, a move that will increase accommodation space.
‘Muriranja centre has enrolled 102 learners, where 90 percent are persons living with disabilities, seeking for increased support towards establishment of an ICT centre and equipment to facilitate vocational and artisan training,” said Mr Njoroge.
