Kasungu District Councilhails inclusive project
Kasungu district social welfare officer Ephraim Njikho has commended the Sparking Disability Inclusive Rural Transformation (Spark) project for promoting the inclusion of people with disabilities in agriculture value chain activities.
Coordinated by the International Labour Organisation, Spark is a two-year project that seeks to create and promote employment opportunities for people with disabilities in programmes funded by the International Fund for Agriculture Development (Ifad) in Malawi.
Speaking on Monday during a visit of project beneficiaries at Chulu and Chisinga in Kasungu North West, Njikho said people with disabilities have often suffered in silence.
He said: “The major challenge people with disabilities face is that they lack exposure.
“When they face situations such as being excluded in socio-economic activities, they don’t come in the open.
“This is why we commend the interventions under the project.”
Spark national project officer Vincent Kavala said at least 300 people with different impairments have found opportunities in Ifad-funded projects, specifically Transforming Agriculture through Diversification and Entrepreneurship (Trade) and Financial Access for Rural Markets, Smallholders and Enterprise (Farmse).
He said: “The Trade project supports rural communities in the agriculture value chain while the Farmse programme supports household economic development through promotion of access to financial services.
“We are targeting people with any type of impairment through a rights-based approach towards inclusion. We understand that people with disabilities face a number of barriers, including attitudes from communities and extension officers.”
Funded to the tune of $230 000 (about K400 million), the project is also implemented in Chitipa, Nkhata Bay and Thyolo districts.
