The National Fund for the Disabled of Kenya (NFDK) has announced plans to increase grants for Persons Living With Disabilities (PWDs) to up to Sh3 million.
NFDK chairman David Musila said trustees who have PLWDs and institutions caring for them can now apply for enhanced grants.
The grants will support infrastructures or investments for PLWDs in areas such as agriculture, beauty parlours, or car washes.
Musila spoke in Mombasa County when he distributed equipment and financial support worth Sh3 million to PWDs and institutions.
He said for the first time the fund will give up to Sh3 million in grants to educational institutions caring for disabled children.
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"Institutions can now get up to Sh3 million in small grants from the fund to improve infrastructure and income generation projects," he said.
He said the organisation has been supporting persons with disabilities since its establishment in 1980 by the late President Daniel arap Moi and has acquired property that generates revenue in addition to government allocations.
Musila noted that the fund had provided equipment valued at Sh1 million and an additional Sh2 million in financial support to beneficiaries from Mvita and Nyali sub-counties as well as selected educational institutions.
Saku MP Dido Rasso, who addressed the beneficiaries, noted that the budgetary allocation to the fund for 2026/2027 has been increased to Sh500 million from Sh200 million.
Rasso said MPs fully supported the social-economic support and inclusion of persons living with disabilities in the country.
The equipment included car-washing machines, welding equipment, salon kits, and agricultural tools aimed at helping beneficiaries generate income.
Mombasa County Commissioner Mohamed Noor Hassan commended the fund for complementing the government's Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda through the empowerment of vulnerable groups.
He encouraged beneficiaries to use the grant to expand their businesses, improve their livelihoods, and create employment opportunities within their communities.
Beneficiaries expressed gratitude for the assistance, saying it would significantly improve their livelihoods.
Dickson Gwama, a farmer from Dongo Kundu in Mombasa County, said the agricultural equipment he received—including hoes, a wheelbarrow, a water pump, and pesticide sprayers—would boost his farming activities and increase productivity.
Meanwhile, Lucy Ndeke, head teacher of Pwani School for the Mentally Challenged, said the institution received Sh200,000 to purchase training equipment for students.
She praised the fund for its continued support, noting that it had previously financed the construction of a dormitory that enabled the school's enrolment to grow from 66 to 164 learners.
The initiative is part of the fund's broader mission to improve the welfare of PWDs through education, economic empowerment, and access to opportunities.
Musila, who is former Kitui Senator, urged recipients not to sell the donated equipment for immediate financial gain but instead use it to improve their livelihoods and achieve economic independence.
“We are giving out tools that can transform lives. Beneficiaries should use them to create sustainable sources of income and improve their living standards,” he said.
On concerns about access to education for children living with disabilities, Musila said that Kenya has made significant progress through public awareness campaigns and the training of specialised teachers.
He revealed that schools catering to children with disabilities are experiencing increased enrolment, while mainstream schools are increasingly establishing special needs units.
Musila said that the government continues to promote accessibility through policies requiring ramps in public buildings and improved accessibility features in public transport.
According to the 2019 population census, Kenya has about one million PWDs.