Kenya plans to disburse 1.7 billion shillings (about 15.5 million dollars) to persons with disabilities in 2021 amid COVID-19 pandemic, a government official said on Tuesday.
Peter Muchiri, the Chairman of State-owned National Council for Persons with Disabilities (NCPWD) said this in Nairobi.
Muchiri said that about 11 million dollars would be used to provide monthly cash transfer to approximately 30,000 disabled persons.
“The funding will target people with severe disabilities in order to improve their livelihoods,” Muchiri said.
According to government data, there were about 913,000 disabled people in the east African nation.
Muchiri noted that households living in poverty with persons with severe disabilities requiring 24-hour support from a caregiver require financial support from the government to enable them cope with their dire situation.
He said that people with disabilities also face numerous challenges in society such as discrimination which denies them livelihood opportunities.
Muchiri said that people with disabilities often have lower school enrollments rates as compared to the general population, which contributes to their lack of decent employment opportunities.
He noted that Kenya had put in place various policies and legislative frameworks to ensure that vulnerable populations are able to meet their basic needs. (Xinhua/NAN)