Govt releases 3bn/- for construction of special colleges

IN a move to ensure that People With Disabilities (PWDs) have access to education and be able to earn income, the government has released a total of 3bn/- for construction of new colleges for the group in three regions of Ruvuma, Kigoma and Songwe.

Mr Rasheed Maftah, Director, Disability Unit, Prime Minister’s Office (Labour, Youth, Employment and People With Disabilities) made the revelations in Dar es Salaam during a four day workshop on Youth Disability Advocacy organised jointly by Action on Disability and Development (ADD) Tanzania and Bournemouth University of England.

“Our government has been working hard to ensure that people with disabilities are not left behind. In this year alone, we have received  sum of 3bn/-  to be used for building new colleges  in Songwe, Ruvuma and Kigoma whereby construction activities have already started and we expect them to be completed this year”, he said.

Mr Maftah said that the colleges will not only benefit people living with disabilities but also other people.

ADD Tanzania Country Director Ms Rose Tesha said the workshop was conducted to build capacity to youth living with disabilities to be able to do and use different researches relating to their rights; as well as being able to understand treaties and guidelines on disability rights  such as  Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and others.

Dorice Mkiva, one of the youth who has benefited from the initiatives said that she has been able to get employment after undergoing capacity building sessions conducted by ADD.