People living with disabilities in Kilifi County can sigh with hope and relief after a religious organization from the region launched a program to build churches for that. – By Ramadhan Kambi.
The move is aimed at giving them a chance to worship without any hindrances.
Committed Believers Evangelical Ministries of Africa (CBM Africa) has already built three churches for the physically challenged in Watamu, Malindi and Katsangani in Tana River to give a chance for them to worship God.
CBM Africa has also been facilitating for registration of the people with disabilities to enable them recognized by the government and as thus, organize free medical camps to provide medication for the people with disabilities who have to face numerous challenges.
Founder of the organization Rev. Fredrick Kazungu said the objective of their ministry was to reach the unreachable
“One of our objectives is to reach the unreached groups of people in Africa with the gospel and in our mission we discovered that those living with disabilities are among one of our groups that have been left out and that is why we decided to reach out to them,” he said.
Speaking during medical camp targeting the physically challenged in Malindi Rev Kazungu said they are currently targeting about 100 people to provide them with medical care register them with the National council of people with disability and give them free clothes.
“Many people living with disabilities are suffering spiritually and also they need dependency and the only one to depend on is God, for that reason, we have services where we do encourage them and direct them to the lord,” he added.
He said they provide them with the social need because sometimes some of them do not accept their disabilities such that some ending up in trying to commit suicide.
The church minister said they normally lead counselling sessions so that they can accept that life and move on with life.
“We also counsel those living with people with disability because most of them are stressed, so we encourage them by word; as they come in service, they hear testimonies of their fellow brothers and sisters so they get encouraged,” she said.
Socially he said they also bring them together to interact and already three have got married with a wedding so as to live life.
He said they work with donors and government to support the people with physically challenges so as to be able to support them on basic needs.
He said that they have a funding program to assist them start small businesses and 43 of them have already benefited, hence moving out of the streets where they have been begging for years.
“In Kenya you know there are many rights but one cannot be recognized without the identity card, and for one to get it need to pay Sh500,” he said.
He said they were helping 100 people to get IDs and the others who already registered but are waiting for their identity cards.
Disability assessment officer at the Malindi sub-county hospital Mr Edward Maina said there are so many challenges facing people with disability as many lack information for them to be assessed.
His department he said also lack sufficient staff which makes it difficult for them to work effectively at the rehabilitation center and go to the ground to sensitize.
So far, he said they are only five staff members and they are supposed to be three times that number to reach out to the many people living with disability.
“Assessment entails so many things including the person needs and her physical appearance,” he said.
According to Mr Omolo Lameck from the National council for Persons living with disability, there is a huge number of people with disability with whom majority of them are not registered.
“There is need for disability awareness as it would help them be registered and be recognized by the government so as to benefit from the government support,” he said.
Evans Vidzo in charge of CBE Medicare in CBM Africa said he was happy that they managed to support the people with physical challenge even though the turnout was huge.
