PWDS URGES GOVERNMENT TO INCREASE SPECIAL GRANT FOR GREATER IMPACT

Francis Odongo Ali and Christine Nyana handover the goats to members of Atur Disability Group. Photo by Ambrose Okai

By Ambrose Okai
 
Oyam
 
People with disabilities in Oyam have asked the government to increase the National Special Grant given to each district, stating that the current allocation does not cater to the needs of all members' groups.

According to them, an increase in the grant will help support at least more than one disability group per sub counties which at the end improves their livelihoods and support more individuals within the disabled community.

They voiced this request during the sharing of the profit made by Atur Disabled group in Alutkot parish, Loro Sub County in Oyam District who had doubled their VSLA profit from the 5 Million shilling National special grant they received in 2023.

Atur Disabled group started on 26th May 2022 with 30 members, and through weekly saving and lending out to community members, they made a profit of 7.2M in one year.

The group had used part of the interest to buy goats for their members, group uniforms and Plastic chairs that are aimed at generating revenue to the group.
Christine Nyana, the Community Development Officer of Loro Sub County who has blind disability said there is a need for an increase in National special grants given to disability.

She noted that the grant given currently to disability groups is little and can only support one group per Sub County.

Currently, Oyam district has 16 lower local government administrative units. ‘’the guideline says you organize only one disability group yet disability group A or group B are also prepared and want the same grant. It became challenging to the disability fraternity. So my plea to the government is that if possible, the grant be increased to support at least 2 groups per sub county,’’Nyana said.

Bonny Oyena, the chairperson of Atur Disable Group said the 5m shilling special grant once it reaches most disability groups can change the livelihood of people with disability.

Taking example from their group, Oyena said they managed to raise interest of 7,200,000/= million shillings within a year because of their commitment and transparency.

Francis Odongo Ali, the Chairperson of persons with disability Oyam District, applauded the Government for the grant to disability groups in the district which he said is changing their lives.

Odongo said VSLA for disability have excelled because of good record keeping and honesty in its leadership and warned group leaders to desist from such acts.
‘’It is rare to hear that a disabled person took off with a VSLA loan as compare to abled people. What is causing fleeing with group money by able is people who borrowed VSLA for unplanned purposes.

The Oyam South MP aspirant under the NRM party, Patrick Ogwang Obura, supported the Atur Disabled Group with a cash donation.

In his message delivered by one of the political George Olwata to the group members, Ogwang Obura implore people with disability to vote for competent leaders 2026 general election than voting someone who bribe them with money but have no mutual connection with the community

Anthony Otim, the Community Development Officer in charge of disability said 68 disability groups had benefited from the National Special Grant at the tune of 320M and directly benefited 642 persons with disability.

He rallied the disability group to be diverse when it comes to procuring anything to be share after gaining interest. ‘’next time I want to see other people buying birds, pigs and so on, especially those that have rapid multiplier rates so that it brings in money to you within a short time,’’.Otim said.

The National Special Grant for Persons with Disabilities-PWDs is aimed at boosting the household income of PWDs.
According to the Uganda Bureau of Statistics of 2014, the disability prevalence rate is 12.5% of the overall population, 49.26 are males and 50.74 are female.