Story by Tafara Chikumira
SCHOOL children with disabilities in the Midlands province received a shot in the arm after the government availed an assortment of machines for use in their daily interactions.
The children were all smiles as government availed them with an assortment of wheelchairs, information and communication technologies tools as well as an assortment of gardening tools in line with the inclusive development agenda.
“I came here accompanying one of our students Munashe. Munashe has a spinal disability and as such he can not walk on his own. People were in trouble for always carrying him on their backs every time. Now that he got a wheelchair, this will help him with free movement,” a teacher said.
“Our children got the ICT tools which are critical with modern ways of learning. This means that they will do their research without any difficulties. We are very excited by the gesture extended by the government,” another teacher said.
Government says it will continue availing various projects to empower people with disabilities.
“The Second Republic is scaling up interventions towards realisation of aspirations of persons with disabilities as provided for in Section 22 of the Constitution of the Republic of Zimbabwe which emphasises the need to include disability at all levels in our development plans across all sectors such as education, health, agriculture, mining and manufacturing among others.
“I therefore commend schools which have constructed disability-friendly structures such as rumps at classroom entrances and widened ablution facilities which enhances accessibility at these learning institutions,” Midlands Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Honourable Owen Ncube said.
In 2021, President Emmerson Mnangagwa launched the National Disability Policy to address issues of marginalisation and discrimination to ensure persons with disabilities fully participate in national development in line with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
