A disabled man from Lugari District  signing down after recieving a sewing machine donated by the National Fund for the Disabled of Kenya. [PHOTO | Joseph Amunya]

The National Fund for the Disabled of Kenya (NFDK) has appealed to physically challenged persons living in the larger Lugari District to open up for them to receive help from the organisation.

This was said by NFDK officer Mr. Bernard Aduda during a brief handing over ceremony of equipment to disabled persons held at Lumakanda.

While disclosing that every district had been allocated 0.5 million shillings by NFDK towards assisting the disabled countrywide, Aduda decried the low number of applicants from Lugari District.

“If a district fails to utilize the Sh 0.5M allocated to it, the remaining is usually channeled to other districts with high numbers of disabled applicants. Lugari is a victim of such,” said Aduda.

Only ten disabled persons from the district received equipment worth Sh 125,000 which includes: white cane, sewing machines, battery charger, hand knitting machine and wheel chairs.

Addressing the beneficiaries, Lugari District Commissioner Mr. Benjamin Njoroge asked them to use the machines properly in order to achieve intended purposes.

“The purpose of NFDK donating this equipment is to the disabled persons is to enable them improve their sources of livelihoods and living standards,” said Njoroge.

He warned that stiffer penalties will be meted out to those found to have sold such equipment.

Meanwhile, the DC has urged chiefs and village elders to assist the government at identifying and registering the physically challenged persons in the area for proper planning of their welfare.

Present at the function was Lugari District Deputy Gender and Social Services Officer Mr. Wilberforce Lumula.