-Kabwe DC welcomes Initiatives to empower disabled

Kabwe DC welcomes Initiatives to empower disabled

Kabwe, March 18, 2013,ZANIS…..Kabwe district commissioner

Patrick Chishala says the removal of barriers to include

persons with disabilities in economic activities is a positive development.

Mr Chisala said the move empowers not only the disabled but also the

community at large to participate in various economic activities.

Mr Chashala was speaking at the launch of the micro small andmMedium

enterprises, MSME, sensitisation workshop for persons with

disabilities in Kabwe today.

He  said the disabled persons accessibility to loans was necessary to achieve progress and development for all.

He commended the Business and Investment Unit for People with

Disabilities, BIUD, who were the organizers of the workshop for coming

up with the program which intends to uplift the lives of persons

living with disabilities.

He said government  is fully committed about the plight of the disabled as evidenced

by the enactment of the persons with disabilities Act no. 6 of 2012, adding that it

supports every effort targeted at the improvement of livelihood among

the people, especially the disable.

The DC appealed to the media and civil society organizations in Zambia

to disseminate the provisions of the Act fully so that people are

informed.

He appealed to the participants to embrace the program as

it has the potential to nurture them into prosperous business people and

help create employment opportunities especially for the people

with disabilities.

Zambia Agency for Persons with disabilities Coordinator Selina Mulonga

said the workshop intends to support Micro Small and Medium

Entrepreneurs to grow their own business .

Ms Mulonga said BIUD will allow groups and individuals to register

their businesses, provide further  training and monitor the capacity

of running a project before they are linked to the Micro finance

agencies for project funding.

And earlier the provincial Village Savings and Loans Association

Coordinator Jackson Phiri said BIUD exists to supplement the

government’s efforts in economically empowering people with

disabilities through access to micro-finance and other business

services for MSME.

Mr Phiri said the organization has a component of promoting the

village savings and loans at the community level to help them realize

their potential through provision of training, mentorship and coaching

services to develop MSME.

ENDS/EB/CSB/ZANIS……………………DRY