CHINOYI CHIPULU
Born Short Living Tall Zambia has called on President Edgar Lungu to support the independence of people with disabilities by creating a disability empowerment Fund during Covid19 pandemic.
BSLT Executive Director Ntalasha Chisha said people with disabilities are the most hit when such calamities making life much difficulty for them hence creating sustainable empowerment opportunities for them.
Mr Chisha said people living with disabilities are in abject poverty because of limited opportunities available for them and are excluded by society.
He said the creation of this fund will help them become self employed as they will be able to develop their entrepreneurship capacity and and spur them to own their businesses.
Mr Ntalasha said differently-abled persons do not enjoy access to society on an equal basis with others in areas of transportation, employment, education and political participation among others.
“We further call on Government through the Ministry of Community Development and Social welfare to forge partnerships with disability – led organizations and relevant stakeholders in order to devise more ways in relation to the empowerment of persons with disabilities in Zambia by expanding the range of social programs and re-design them from the SDGs, human rights and equity perspectives, he said.
