County to set up kitty for people living with disability

By EDWIN MAKICHE

Bomet Governor Isaac Ruto has said his government will establish a Sh6 million fund for physically challenged people in the county.

 Ruto said many physically handicapped children were unable to pursue their education due to poverty and as a result were dependent on their relatives.

“As a result of ignorance among parents, majority of children with disabilities are confined to their homes and have no access to education. We will ensure that they have access to basic education,” Ruto said.

The governor said a census of people with disabilities would be undertaken in the area before programmes aimed at improving their livelihoods were launched.

Ruto appealed to donors, NGOs, churches and the business community to contribute towards changing the living standards of people living with disabilities who he said face numerous challenges.

He was speaking at Kapkesosio Primary School during the opening of a school for the visually impaired.

Construction of the school was was sponsored by Salus Oculi Kenya, an NGO, in partnership  with Ananse, a German organisation.

“The county will assist the school to access electricity and water which are the key issues that require immediate attention,” Ruto said.

Self-reliant

He said that there was need for those living with disabilities to be assisted to start small scale income generating projects so that they can be self-reliant.

 “Dolling out handouts to the needy in the society would not bring to an end the problems affecting them. We should instead ensure that we have assisted them to set up small scale businesses so that they can support themselves.”

He said the national government should devolve the infrastructural development in primary and secondary schools to counties, saying  the regional governments best understood the problems facing the institutions.

Mrs Susan Holmes, who represented Ananse, said the well-to-do in the society should assist the needy.

“Those who have been blessed with resources should contribute to development of the local communities and ensure that underprivileged children have the right to education so that they can enjoy quality life,” Holmes said.