By Mawusie P.I Dumbuya
Head of Communications NCPD
Two hundred (200) households with Persons with Disabilities (PWD) in Kenema has on Wednesday 28th October received 50 kg bags of rice, 10 and 4 litres of palm and vegetable oil each from Welthungerhilfe through the National Commission for Persons with Disability (NCPD) Eastern Region Secretariat.
Presenting the food items, Welthungerhilfe Deputy Country Director and Head of Project, Santigie Kamanda Kanu said a project proposal was sent to the German Government for support to COVID-19 infected persons at treatment centers and quarantine homes in the Eastern Region but that COVID-19 treatment centers and quarantined homes closed before the project was approved and so the project was reviewed and redesigned to support PWD in the region.
He said it was from that backdrop his Organization contacted NCPD Regional Coordinator to partner with the Commission for the implementation of the program.
He futhered stated that the project will also be replicated in Kono and Kailiahun for a period of 3 months to help cushion the challenges of PWDs during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In his statement, NCPD Regional Coordinator East, Micheal Gborie said he was grateful to Welthungerhilfe for bestowing such confidence on the Commission to roll out the project for PWDs in the Region.
He revealed that the project is the biggest NCPD has had from International Non Governmental Organizations (INGO) working with persons with disabilities in the country; “this is the highest scale of humanitarian support amongst INGOS for PWDs in the country” he added.
Michael Gborie affirmed that the intended beneficiaries would benefit from the project “I will ensure that all the 600 households of Persons with disabilities in Kenema, Kono and Kailiahun gets what is due them” he accentuated.
He further said every category of PWD will benefit as no one category will be disadvantaged or left behind.
Michael Gborie called on other INGOs to follow suit in partnering with the Commission and the Government of Sierra Leone to achieve the goals in the Government’s Mid-Term Development Plan for PWDs.
Alice Jeneba Koroma Deputy Director of the Ministry of Social Welfare stated that as a Ministry they are pleased to oversee such support for PWDs in the Region.
SLUDI’S representative in the District, Anafi Sowa also said they are happy and thankful to the government through NCPD and Welthungerhilfe for the timely food support.
NCPD OUTREACH AND ADVOCACY UNIT
