The National Fund for the Disabled of Kenya (NFDK) has spent close to Ksh 500 million this year to empower thousands of Kenyans with disabilities.
NFDK board of trustees Vice Chairperson Mike Kiswili stated that Ksh 160 million were used to buy assistive devices, and tools of the trade to develop educational institutions for Persons with Disabilities.
Kiswili said the massive investments are in tandem with the objective of the fund to enhance the social and economic empowerment of PWDs in all 47 counties.
He added that the fund has further utilized Ksh 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 Ksh 80 million worth of donations will go to institutions and another donation of Ksh 80 million will go to individuals in the form of mobility aids, rehabilitative equipment, and tools of the trade,” added Kiswili.
Speaking at Coast regional headquarters Uhuru na Kazi building during the presentation of donations within Mombasa county, Kiswili revealed that 20,835 targeted groups have benefited from the noble program.
The NFDK board of trustees and senior management gave grants worth Ksh 4.9 million and assistive devices and tools of trade worth Ksh 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 trustee Masden Madoka challenged the Kenyan society to support the persons with disabilities in their neighborhoods with empowerment programs 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 the funds 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.