Tanzania: Disabled People Advised On Accessing Business Loans

 

By Harriet Kiama

PEOPLE with disabilities in Kibaha district, Coast Region have been urged to form groups that will enable them access loans provided by the government through district councils.

Kibaha District Commissioner, Ms Sarah Msafiri made the remark during a one-day seminar held at Kibaha this week to introduce a project which aims at improving health services to women and youth with hearing disability in Coast Region being implemented by the Tanzania Association of the Deaf (TAD) popularly known as (CHAVITA).

"Each year, our councils release 2 per cent of their total budgets as loans to special groups, including people with disabilities. These loans aim at enabling the groups launch their own businesses, earn income and contribute to the nation's income", she noted.

The DC who was accompanied by Kibaha Town District Executive Director (DED) Ms. Jennifer Omollo and District Administrative Secretary (DAS) Ms Sozi Ngate also congratulated CHAVITA for the initiative and working closely with the government in the project by involving health cadres and social welfare officials, which she says promises good results at the end.

CHAVITA"s Coast Regional Chairman, Mr. Adam Shabani said the project which is being funded by Abilis Foundation of Finland at a cost of 16 million shillings aims at building communities and health service providers with awareness on health issues and challenges facing deaf women and youth in all districts of the region.

"We have the evidence that these two groups face a lot of challenges while accessing health services, since most health facilities do not have sign language interpreters, which makes the situation even more difficult. By involving social welfare officials and health cadres in this project, we will surely be solving the problem to a great extent," he said.

He pointed out that as part of the project, they will also conduct awareness sessions to deaf secondary school students and their parents. The project will end in December this year.

According to the Project Manager, Ms. Anna Gugu, the project will be conducted in four districts of Kibaha Town, Kibaha rural, Bagamoyo and Chalinze in the first phase before proceeding with Rufiji, Mkuranga, Kibiti and Kisarawe districts in the second phase. The third and last phase of the project will be implemented in Mafia district.

The seminar brought together government leaders, health cadres, social welfare officials and people with disabilities from different parts of the region.