Covid-19 project supports persons with disability
Three organisations working on disability issues have jointly embarked on a five-month Covid-19 Response Project to respond to needs of persons with disabilities.
Malawi Council for the Handicapped (MACOHA), Malawi Union of the Blind (MUB) and Malawi National Association of the Deaf (MANAD) have received K49 million from Christian Blind Mission (CBM) to the tune of K49 million for the project in eight.
The districts to benefit from the project include: Machinga, Mangochi, Mulanje, Ntcheu, Dowa, Ntchisi, Nkhatabay and Mzimba.
Macoha project officer, Elvis Katete in an interview said the project started last Monday, 10th August, 2020 in Machinga and Mangochi districts.
Katete said various food items like flour, sugar and salt will be distributed as well as items that can protect physically challenged people from catching the Coronavirus.
“Persons with disabilities are at a high risk of being infected due to underlying health issues, inability to access information and health services due to their various disabilities, the organizations thought it wise to distribute also items that can protect them from catching the Coronavirus,” he said.
“We have started with Machinga and Mangochi where we distributed face masks, hand sanitizers, information on prevention and spread of Covid-19 in braille or large print (for those with visual impairment) and DVDs in sign language for those with hearing impairments,” said Katete.
One beneficiary, Swale John who has a physical disability and a basket weaver by profession said the assistance was timely as most of his customers (tourists) haven’t been visiting the lakeshore district.
“We are very grateful to the three organizations for remembering us in this critical time where Coronavirus has hit hard on most people especially financially,” he said.
Duncan Tembo who has a hearing impairment said he has heard about Coronavirus but he lacked more information.
“With this braille l will be able to know more about the virus. Information in braille is a welcome development to us,” he said.
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