Children with disabilities, others, get food items

Joy Abilities Empowerment has distributed maize flour to 75 children with disabilities and those from less-privileged families to ease their food challenges during the lean season.

Speaking on Monday at Living Christian Church in Area 43 in Lilongwe, the organisation’s executive director Bernadette Vaz said they wanted to support single parents, especially mothers taking care of children with disabilities and less- privileged children.

She said: “Most women are single parents and they struggle to take care of their children.

“We reached out to children from Area 43, Tsokamkanasi Village and Kauma in Traditional Authority Chitukula.”

Vaz said they received the items from a Christian well-wisher Conrad Trindade.

She said: “He [Trindade] has been supporting us and we ask others to emulate this spirit.

“We also ask government to support new organisations such as ours so that we may complement government’s efforts in addressing the needs of people with disabilities.”

Trindade said he was inspired by the Scriptures to assist those in need.

He said: “My heart always yearns to help those facing difficult situations such as children with disabilities and those from less-privileged families.

“Since 2019, I have been supporting the children with the little I have. I use money from my salary to fulfil this noble task.”

Tisunge Banda from Kauma, whose 16-year-old son uses a wheelchair, said it was tough raising a child with disability, especially when facing food shortage.

“When you raise a child with disability, you need support to get basic needs,” she said.

Joy Abilities Empowerment, an advocacy organisation for persons with disabilities, seeks to improve the plight of persons with disabilities by 2063.