BY KNA’s Seline Nyangere
Persons with disabilities in Kjiado County are among the 10,534 vulnerable residents who received money from the Inua Jamii cash transfer programme.
According to Kajiado County Social Development Officer Jimmy Njau, the county received Sh 84, 272, 000, of which Sh3,000,000 was disbursed to persons with severe disability, Sh55,920,000 to older persons, Sh 25,352,000 to orphans and vulnerable children.
Njau said each beneficiary received Sh8000 and they are expecting the number of beneficiaries to increase next year.
“We are so grateful that most elderly persons have no trouble while going to the bank to withdraw their money and most of them are grateful as the funds have assisted them in buying medicine and food. We are waiting for the next disbursement by the government,” said Njau.
The officer added that the funds were disbursed through the six contracted banks namely Cooperative, Equity, KCB, Kenya Post Office, National, and Kenya Women Microfinance banks.
Juliet Juma, a beneficiary of the Inua Jamii cash transfer, said she was able to keep her child with a disability in school.
“I am grateful to the government because my child is in school. I was able to use the money to pay her school fee. Even though she is abled differently at least she is in school,” revealed Juma.
Alfred Nyamweya, a widower who lost his wife in 2014 and was left with two vulnerable children also said that the money has helped him a lot.
“I have two vulnerable children and I have paid their school fees. One just joined high school and I have cleared this term’s school fee and I am waiting for next term,” said Nyamweya.
Margret Aoko, an elderly woman with two grandchildren said the funds have come in handy for her small-scale business as she can feed her grandchildren and pay their school fees.
“I thank God and the government because they know how to identify the needy, I have been able to feed my grandchildren, buy their stationery, pay their school fees, and even stock my stall during these hard economic times,” she said.
The Inua Jamii cash transfer programme is a Government initiative aimed at supporting the most vulnerable persons in society such as orphans and vulnerable children, people living with severe disability, and persons aged 70 years and above with no source of income.
On Thursday, June 22 this year, Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua revealed that the government through the Ministry of Labour and social protection had released Sh16.7 billion for disbursement to beneficiaries enrolled in the Inua Jamii programme.