PWDS RECEIVE GRANTS FROM PARTNERS FOR TRANSITION OF “WE ARE ABLE” PROJECT TO LOCAL GOVERNMENTS

A team of PWDs from the implementing districts and partners in a group photo. All Photos by Godwin Abedican.

By Godwin Abedican
Arua

West Nile Districts that have been implementing the “We are able” projects for Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) have received the shift of power sustainability grants to manage the transition of the project from the partners to the respective local governments that started in March and goes until September 2025.

The shift of power that comes with a small support of 5 percent form each of the consortium partners including ZOA, Light for the world, the Hague academy for local government and VNG International and National Union of Persons with disability (NUDIPU), is channeled to the powerholders at the district and city councils as the public authority, with unions of persons with disabilities acting as the Organizations or CSOs.

With Arua City Union of Persons with Disabilities confirming the receipt of the money, Prince Swaleh the chairperson Arua city council of PWDs says they shall use the money based in the guidelines provided adding that the persons with disability should not think of any direct benefits like distribution of the said money.

“VNG international already remitted 31 million shillings in to the council accounts. The money is already there for implementation of programs. We have so far sat for 3 meetings. We have several activities lined up between March and September for the sustainability grant. We have a very good working relationship with our technical people. They have been doing so much good to us as PWDs and these people are trusted so we have no worry about the safety of our money,” he said.

Prince Swaleh the chairperson Arua City Council of PWDs

Drasi Rogerson, the Chairperson Yumbe district council of PWDs pledges their commitment to the proper use if the moneys to drive their activities.

“Yumbe has received under the small grants scheme a total of twenty-four million, seven hundred fifty thousand shillings. I am committed as the Chairperson and this shall be followed with my disability champion. We shall make it. We shall not disappoint because this is tax payers money from the Dutch, meant to support us, why should we fail. For us as Yumbe we always follow our programs,” Drasi committed.

Drasi Rogerson (Standing), the Chairperson Yumbe district
council of PWDs making his submission during an engagement
as Azale Godwin (Hub Manager for We Are Able) looks on.

Under the same arrangement, Terego district union of persons with disability received a total of 21 million shillings for the same purpose.

Mercy Monica Ocotoko, the Administrative Assistant National Union of Disabled Persons of Uganda (NUDIPU) in the project for Arua city and Terego warns against any mismanagement of the funds stating that, the law will prevail in such circumstances.

“Under VNG-International pathway 3 of the project, public authorities were properly prepared to manage this money. It was a plan that, in the second last year of the project, there will be shift of power with a small support. These people were taken through the development of the work plan for this money before the money came. Finally, the money has come. I know there is a set work plan so all eyes are there and I believe with the empowerment that they have got, I really don’t want to think about any mismanagement because even the union leaders have their eyes on,” Ocotoko said.

“This year the consortium is still helping them and I don’t believe that there is going to be any mismanagement of this money at that level. Local Governments have been implementing programs and using monies. But what if or in case it happens that this money is misused, we will use the same law. There are whistle blowers everywhere around this money. Therefore, those kinds of issues will take the same shape just like any other corruption or embezzlement cases have been taken, she added.

Mercy Monica Ocotoko, the Administrative Assistant (NUDIPU)
for the project in Terego and Arua city speaking in an interview

The monies shall be directly under the committees formed which includes the clerk to council, CDO in charge of disability, Chairperson Council of persons with disability, monitoring and evaluation chairperson, chairperson of the unions among the 9-member committee.

They shall be responsible for overseeing the utilization, planning, monitoring and evaluation and reporting on the usage of the grants accessed through the focal point persons who campion disability activities at the different Local Government levels.

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