Africa-Press – Uganda. The gender ministry is set to disburse over sh1.2b to people living with disabilities (PWDs) under the second quarter of its annual Special Grant for Persons with Disabilities.
This special grant was put in place by the Government in the financial year 2009/2010 to empower PWDs economically.According to the ministry, in this financial year 2020/2021, the grant was enhanced to sh5b from sh2.1b in the year 2019/2020.In this financial year’s grant, the ministry planned to disburse grants to 800 PWDs groups. In its first quarter, the ministry disbursed sh707m to 143 groups in 24 districts.The Minister of State for Disability and Elderly Affairs, Sarah Kanyike, said in this second quarter they are disbursing grants to 248 groups in 27 districts across the different regions of the country, starting in January 2021.Kanyike made the remarks during a press conference about the grant at the ministry headquarters in Kampala on Tuesday.Districts to benefit in the second phase include Pader, Ntungamo, Busia, Kagadi, Kiryandongo, Buyende, Iganga, Jinja, Kamuli, Mayuge, Namayingo and Namutumba.Others are Bulambuli, Manafwa, Mbale, Napak, Kabale, Kwania, Buikwe, Buvuma, Kassanda, Kira Municipal Council, Mubende, Mukono district local government, Nakaseke, Wakiso and SerereHow grant is accessed Kanyike said this special grant is demand-driven and districts are supposed to submit annual requests for fundingHere, PWDs are encouraged to form groups of five to 15 people who live in the same village or parish. The formed group is then supposed to write a business proposal with the help of a community development officer.The project proposals are then submitted to the districts, that also submit them to the ministry for evaluation.”The highest amount we give to each group is sh5m. However, we first evaluate the worth of the project and give the group the exact amount,” Kanyike said.Kanyike said 19 districts have already submitted fi les to be considered for the third quarter of this financial year’s grant.These include Pakwach, Otuke, Lamwo, Kiruhura, Mbarara, Nebbi, Budaka, Sironko, Jinja City, Namutumba, Jinja municipal, Iganga municipal council, Sheema, Rukungiri, Sembabule, Butaleja, Bushenyi, Kazo and Zombo.Districts that never benefited Ever since the grant was launched in 2019, 57 districts have never benefited from it.These include Kampala, Kalangala, Kole, Kalungu, Kyotera, Kayunga, Lira, Gomba, Kween, Ngora, Butambala, Mpigi, Amudat, Nakapiripirit, Nkasongola, Adjumani, Amuru, Apac, Kasese, Bundibugyo, Ntoroko, Koboko, Arua, Maracha, Madi-Okolo and Soroti.Others are Moroto, Abim, Kapchorwa, Kaabong, Omoro, Agago, Oyam, Moyo, Tororo, Kibuku, Bukedea, Kumi, Amuria, Kalaki, Katakwi, Kabelebyong, Buliisa, Hoima, Masindi, Kyegegwa, Kabarole, Ibanda, Rukiga, Rwampara, Rubanda, Rubirizi, Mitooma, Kibaale, Kakumiro, Nwoya and Terego.Kanyike blamed this on PWDs leaders who do not disseminate information about the grant to the local people.
