K100,000 to fund activities for disabled

THE Eastern Highlands provincial government will set aside K100,000 to fund special activities for people with
disabilities in the province.
Eastern Highlands Governor Malcolm Kela-Smith promised to allocate K100,000 from his provincial budget during a meeting with representatives from the Eastern Highlands Disability Committee recently.
Kela-Smith has appointed Shirley Moiga, a physically challenged woman, to manage a new secretariat in his office to coordinate programmes and activities to help people with disabilities.
Visually-impaired Martin Kawagle, Moiga and volunteer Marcel Pool met with Kela-Smith and agreed to establish the new secretariat.
“This is a new turn for people with disabilities in Eastern Highlands to have a secretariat in the provincial government to address issues regarding disability-inclusive development,” Pool said.
“This was another milestone for the disability committee having mobilised and empowered people with disabilities from around the province and with the national government signing of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.”
Moiga attained a bachelor’s degree from the Divine Word University in business administration.
Kela-Smith has yet to discuss his decision with the provincial executive council to make this disability secretariat a permanent one, but has promised to allocate funds from his office to allow Moiga to start immediately.
With Kela-Smith’s office on the top floor of the provincial government building, the disability secretariat will be located downstairs to allow easy access for people with disabilities.
“This will be the first disability secretariat at the provincial government level.
“We will have to learn, but if other provinces are interested in the development of this disability secretariat, we are willing to share our learning with others,” Pool said.