Foundation for people with disabilities appealing for financial assistance
Foundation for people with disabilities appealing for financial assistance
December 10, 2023
Saul Utete
Choice News Africa
Bulawayo – Foundation for People with disabilities a Bulawayo based organisation has recently thrown out a begging bowl asking for financial aid from the corporate world so that they can pay for residential stands allocated to them by Bulawayo City Council for its members.
The FFPD Founding leader Tonny Ncube told Choice News Africa that the local authority has asked them to raise each member one thousand United States dollars (US1000.00) for a residential stand.
The disability champions captured at work in Bulawayo. Pic Choice News Africa
“We do not have enough money though we are doing self-help projects as a result we are asking the corporate world and well-wishers to assist us with funds to pay for our residential stands.
The City Council asked us to raise one thousand United States dollars each for a residential stand that we cannot raise on our own.
Lack of funds is limiting our mission to carry out more outreach programs so that FFPD members become self-sustained, socially and economically.
Our membership stands at more than one thousand six hundred that are found in, Bulawayo, Victoria Falls, Hwange, Bingwa, Masvingo and Mutare,” said Ncube
Benjamin Gumede the programs Officer said that their organisation was formed to fill in gaps left by existing disability organisations.
“As programs Officer of FFPD our organisation is there to compliment the already existing disability organisations in assisting persons with disabilities to get shelter and training on self-help skills, as we honour our late Father Jairos Jiri, an icon in the history of fighting as well as defending the rights and needs for persons with disabilities.
The Rotary club of Bulawayo donated ten wheel chairs to our members with ZICEA Organisation, they helped us train of our members on entrepreneurship development skills that have since got vending bays, reserved for persons with disabilities by Bulawayo City Council along Sixth Avenue.
As persons with disabilities,we do not want to be kept at other people’s homes, hence we have been allocated residential stands by the City Council that we hopefully look forward to get financial assistance to pay for our members.
As FFPD, we also have our own trained and qualified human rights defenders that are assisted by ward monitors in every constituency.” Said Gumede. He also urged all disability organisations to come together so that they speak with one voice.
“My wish is to have all our different disability organizations and groups forming a consortium that will speak with one voice so that we can quickly be heard by the government as well as globally.
As FFPD, we are founded on values of accountability, responsibility and hard work. Content of breath is equal to all, whether one is with disability or not, that God accorded us the full right to life.” Added Benjami.