More than 390 Persons with Disabilities from Kachibora and Saboti Subcounties in Trans Nzoia are set to benefit from free assistive and mobility devices.
This is after Kenya Reinsurance Corporation (Kenya Re) through its flagship ‘Niko Fiti’ campaign on Thursday began the distribution of the assistive and mobility devices.
The distribution, subdivided into three phases, will benefit 1,000 people with disabilities in different parts of the country.
The exercise is in line with Kenya’s vision to enhance inclusivity and diversity by enabling more people to participate in activities that improve their livelihoods.
“Kenya Re has a vision to secure the future for our stakeholders and our Niko Fiti initiative is one of the ways we are doing this,” Kenya Re’s Group Managing Director Hillary Wachinga said.
“We want to empower persons with disabilities to integrate into society and to actively contribute to social and economic activities for the greater good,” Wachinga said.
Wachinga noted that it is important for workplaces to entrench inclusion policies for PWDs, and for buildings to be retrofitted with structures that allow easy access by PWDs.
Association for the Physically Disabled of Kenya (APDK) CEO Anthony Nzuki commended the partnership with Kenya Re, stating that it has over the years made a positive impact on PWDs in the country.
“We are not only supporting the government's goal of including PWDs into society but also changing lives,” Nzuki said.
“By enabling them to move around unassisted, they are able to go to school, start businesses and do activities that truly make them independent,” he added.
Nzuki noted that the association uses its community networks and leaders to identify needy beneficiaries.
The first phase of the campaign in 2023 saw a distribution of 56 mobility devices and 351 assistive devices to 398 beneficiaries in Saboti and Kachibora.
The ‘Niko Fiti’ campaign has so far improved the lives of over 11,800 Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) since its inception in 2011.
In 2023, the original model was further developed to cover three pillars; Environmental, Education and Community support.
Niko Fiti environment which consists of all activities that impact the environment such as tree planting, Niko Fiti Education which covers all activities targeting access to education support and community support for persons with disabilities which covers all activities targeting mobility and assistive devices for PWDs.