Chronicle Editor
Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu, [email protected]
ABOUT 100 persons with disabilities from Gwanda District received groceries and clothing as an intervention strategy to cushion them from the adverse effects of the El Nino-induced drought.
The distribution was spearheaded by Matabeleland South disability based organisation, Nkomwa Foundation Trust, in conjunction with the office of the District Development Co-ordinator, Department of Social Development and the business community.
One of the beneficiaries, Mr Newman Nkomo said the intervention has come at the right time and will ease the burden on many.
He said it was pleasing to see PWDs being incorporated and empowered with their interests being prioritised.
“We feel honoured when we see such programmes coming, which are meant for us as PWDs. For a long time, we thought that we didn’t have a place in this community,” said Mr Nkomo.
“Such recognition helps us to come out of our shells and it boosts our confidence. As PWDs, we are among the groups that have been hard hit by this drought due to various limitations.
“These groceries and clothing will cover a huge gap and our appeal is that may we have such interventions coming often as we really need them,” he said.
Mrs Sevy Ncube from Sigodo Village who has a child with a disability also expressed gratitude for the food assistance and clothing.
Ms Laiza Ndlovu said for a long time they have had to hide their relatives with disability from the rest of the world but the work being done by different stakeholders to mainstream their interests is encouraging.
Nkomwa Foundation Trust director, Mr Pick Nkomwa, said the resource mobilisation exercise, which is still ongoing is meant to cushion PWDs who are one of the population groups severely affected by the drought situation.
“One of our thematic areas as an organisation is on welfare and care. As a response to the El Nino- induced drought and as a call from the community, we engaged in a mobilisation drive,” he said.
“We were able to assist children with disability and also adults with disability including the elderly. The distributions were made on November 6 and 7. We engaged the business community and other partners and we were able to mobilise grocery items and clothing. We wish to continue with this resource mobilisation drive in order to cover as many PWDs as possible in all wards in the district.”
Gwanda District Development Co-ordinator, Ms Nomathemba Ndlovu, said the initiative is a fulfilment of Government’s philosophy of leaving no one and no place behind. She said uplifting and empowering PWDs is key in the attainment of Vision 2030. — @DubeMatutu
Ms Ndlovu said Government has put in place several measures and policies to empower PWDs and various stakeholders need to adopt these strategies.
“There is a lot of work to be done in assisting the vulnerable in the district and in order to achieve this work there is need for various stakeholders to come on board,” she said.
“We need initiatives such as this one where we will come together as local stakeholders and pool together some resources and not wait for Government or other external players to develop our communities.
“We can’t attain Vision 2030 if we will have certain segments of the population that are still lagging behind in development. We have to forge ahead together,” she said.
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