Local NGO equip villagers on ‘Disability Rights’

Gwanda -The Nkomwa Foundation Trust (NFT) a non-governmental organisation based in Gwanda held a one day meeting in Gwanda rural citing disability rights sensitisation to people with disabilities, caregivers, business people and community members.

Speaking during the meeting Ward 18 Councillor Mr Mpathiswa Ncube applauded the Nkomwa Foundation team for their effort to bring knowledge and provide assistance to the rural folks.
“I’m humbled to stand before you today in your shoes as per your request. May I take the opportunity to thank NFT team being led by Mr Pick Nkomwa for their dedication and sacrifice to be with you today.

The first awareness campaign was an eye opener to Ward 18 leadership and members. After that address, we have seen it fit that you meet your friends (NFT team) on a separate day to discuss your issues”.
Ward 18 has a number of PWDs and today just a quarter managed to attend. Keep on visiting and some will end up understanding and they will be able to meet others with their children. As you alluded last time- we still have children being locked in the homes and these meetings are really changing our community’s mind-sets. Keep up the good job team”. Said Councillor Ncube.
He also stressed out his worries on the lack of water supply to the garden due to a non-functional borehole.
“In the previous years the (PWDs) had their nutritional garden and it was very helpful to them. Sadly the borehole broke long back and this had affected their economic empowerment and nutritional diet. Please work closely with us and them and our hope is the resuscitation of that garden”, added Cllr Ncube.
The senior village head Mr Pilaelo. Noko was thankful to the Nkomwa team for providing sanitary wear to young girls and sharing of information.
 “Your love to young girls in consideration of the sanitary pads and clothing to all PWDs it’s quite commendable we say thank you team NKomwa,” said Mr Noko.
The Nkomwa Foundation Trust director Mr Pick NKomwa highlighted the main agenda of the Nkomwa team towards people with disabilities and young girls.
“Our visit today is to try and understand each other, sensitise create awareness about disability issues. I will equip you on your rights and as NFT we compliment government efforts in all our programmes. I have brought you our Counsellor- for all who need counselling on various issues.

 Also a health Professional from Rehab department to educate us more on disabilities and nutrition and as well as disability parenting.
Our objective is to equip every PWD and caregivers with the knowledge, on what to do, where to go when in need of services.
My hope is that our local leadership of this ward 18 have embraced the leave no one behind mantra”.
Mr Nkomwa was thankful to the community leaders for granting his team an opportunity to educate the people in the rural on disability rights and gender based violence.
It’s my honour to have Councillor and village heads organising such meetings for us. Indeed we need to thank them for that. This leadership support is critical in disability inclusion in community development programmes.
Let us discuss, our challenges and provide solutions where we can together. Feel free to say anything because our challenges are different”, said Mr Nkomwa.
Ms Progress Ndlovu the Nkomwa Foundation Trust disability champion was among the key speakers who applauded the Nkomwa Foundation Trust Team for their tremendous effort to remember people with disabilities and girls in the rural areas.
“We are happy today because our association is being revived. Many thanks to the NFT team for teaching us, remembering a girl child with sanitary pads and clothing for all the PwDs in our Ward and admin caregivers”, said Ms Ndlovu.
She also made a request on behalf of everyone in the community.
“This request on behalf of my colleagues, we need our nutritional garden to be revived the only challenge is we do not have water as our borehole broke. Previously we used to have our vegetables and helping our friends who can’t manage to plant”, she added.
The Rehabilitation Technician from Gwanda Hospital Mr Ndumiso Gozho enlightened the people on the causes of disability and also gave a few health tips to everyone who had attended the sensitization meeting.
“Disability is caused by a few challenges which include early /late pregnancies, drug abuse, malposition, trauma, untreated maternal infections, accidents and diseases”, he said.
He also equipped the people who had attended the sensitization meeting with prevention measures.
“Most measures if practiced well  may as well  produce positive results such as early check-ups(before onset),immunisation, supervised delivery ,good diet, avoiding drug abuse ,seek early treatment, all these services are provided at the hospital which also consist of hospital based exercises and equivalent therapy”, concluded Mr Gozho.FacebookTwitterEmailShare