Corruption increasing cost of living for persons with disabilities
People with disabilities have condemned the high levels of corruption in the country citing that this is increasing the cost of living, creating barriers to economic means of production, and fuelling lack of employment.
Speaking during a Training Workshop for People With Disabilities (PWDs), facilitated by Transparency International Zimbabwe (TIZ), the Director of Mkomwa Foundation Trust (MFT) Pick Mkomwa, said the high levels of corruption in Zimbabwe are further increasing the costs of living for People With Disabilities (PWDs), as they are already experiencing higher costs of living.
He said unfair distribution of economic means of production such as land, loans among others perpetuated poverty even for the next generations.
By Minenhle Moyo
“It is a public secret that People With Disabilities need funds in order to live comfortable lives. Our costs further increase because of corruption. We no longer access free medication and other services that are rightfully ours because those in power are abusing the resources at their disposal.”
“The fact that People With Disabilities (PWDs) cannot access financial means such as loans from the banks to start up or fund their projects makes it even harder for them to meet their daily costs,” he said.
One of the participants Paida Moyo bemoaned lack of access to assistive devices such as wheelchairs.
“Most of us do not have wheelchairs because the funds that are meant for our welfare are channelled towards others expenses which do not benefit us.”
“The reason why this happens is that we lack knowledge when it comes to our rights. We need more of these training sessions so that together with communities, we are knowledgeable enough to claim for what rightfully belongs to us,” said Moyo.
Speaking during the same training, Inclusion Practitioner Tariro Gurure urged People With Disabilities (PWDs) to take part in policy making processes such as public meetings in order to craft policies that will work in their favour.
“Policy gaps relating to PWDs will only get wider because our voice is not there during the policy making processes. I urge all of us here to take part in public hearings and other national programs so that we are able to push our agenda as a collective. This will ensure that policies made will enable us to acquire economic means of production and assistive devices while decreasing our cost of living,” she said.
Other participants who attended the meeting suggested funding of radio programs to educate the general public on disability issues.
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