PWDs back in the streets begging

Most people living with disability who initially owned businesses are now back in the streets begging, a PWD led community based organization revealed Saturday.

Tunaweza PWD executive director Charity Chahasi while speaking to Jumuiya News in Mombasa noted that most of the PWD’s who initially ran businesses closed during the first wave of covid-19.

She however says they have begun an online campaign in a bid to raise funds for PWD’s.

“We want to empower PWDs so that they can resume their businesses. Most of them were affected by COVID-19,” said the director.

She says there is a need to address the issue to salvage the situation.

She however notes that Covid-19 has been a challenge in the ongoing campaign.

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“The Covid-19 season is our biggest challenge. Some of the businesses were closed down and this has been a blow to us,” Charity noted.

She says the campaign targets not only Mombasa but other counties throughout the country.

Meanwhile, Lucy Chesi, one of the PWDs said the resource mobilization campaign is aimed at empowering PWDs economically.

Chesi appealed to donors and well-wishers to come on board by donating either in cash or in kind.

According to her, thousands of PWDS throughout the country were affected by the coronavirus pandemic.

Said Chesi “PWDs are not comfortable everywhere in this country. They all fell victims of the pandemic,”

At the same time, Reez Viregwa, another PWD says her business was affected by the pandemic leading to closure.

She points out that some of the PWDs lost their regular customers due to Covid-19.

She adds that the programme once successful will assist PWD’s revive their collapsed businesses.

“I am not comfortable with what is going on amongst PWDs. They are back in the streets,” lamented Ms Viregwa.

Chahasi lashed out at the National Council for People Living with Disability on claims of having inaccurate data for the disabled.

According to her, some of the disabled persons have not been documented by the council. The council formed a COVID-19 response team that consisted of ten committee members to oversee the negative impacts of the pandemic to PWDs.