Liberia: President’s PWD Empowerment Program Reaches Grand Kru County

Some members of the disabled community in Grand Kru County

Barclayville — An empowerment program under the auspices of the Liberian presidency, aimed at improving the lives of people living with disabilities has finally reached Grand Kru, President George Weah’s home county.

The empowerment program ensures the free distribution of assistive devices and technologies (mobility aids or devices), education on the maintenance of the devices to enable them to carry out their daily activities, and encouragement to participate actively and productively in community life.

The program was established in 2015 during the administration of former President Ellen Johnson-Sirlea and kicked off in Lofa County. It was reactivated in 2018 by President Weah.

Some of the counties that benefited from rehabilitation and free mobility devices include Nimba, Sinoe, River Gee, Grand Bassa, and Montserrado.

On Monday, May 1, 2023, the distribution of assistive devices and technologies (mobility aids) for persons with disabilities (PWDs) began in Barclayville, Grand Kru County, with at least 89 PWDs benefitting. The distribution continued up to Wednesday.

Grand Kru County is the 11th county to benefit from the free distribution of the mobility aids.

Persons living with disabilities in Grand Kru are currently benefiting from the promise the President made to them when he visited Grand Kru County in 2019. 

The mobility aids are distributed by the Monrovia Rehabilitation Center (MRC) from John F. Kennedy Hospital. The center is headed by a Project Manager,  Mr. Dorbor Akoi. Mr. Akoi was accompanied by two rehabilitation experts.

According to Project Director Dorbor Akoi, the establishment of the MRC was as a result of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, Articles 4, 20 and 26, which mandate states to promote the availability of appropriate devices and mobility aids of persons living with disabilities and also support the development, production, distribution and servicing of assistive devices and equipment and the dissemination of knowledge about them.

“Assistive devices are essential for many people with disabilities and are an important part of development strategy. Without assistive devices, people with disabilities may never be able to work, be educated, or fend for themselves,” Mr. Akoi told journalists on Wednesday at Barclayville City Hall.

He added: “We are targeting 200 PWDs and we prayed between now and Saturday we want to serve these devices at the same time educate them on their maintenance, and go back  to Monrovia for reassignment.”

Mobility devices that were distributed in Barclayville,  Grand Kru County, to assist people in walking or moving are wheelchairs, tricycles, wheelchairs and tricycles with track attachments, walking sticks/canes and walking frames/walkers.

Peter Nimely and Sarah Nah, two of the persons with disabilities, thanked President George M. Weah for the mobility aids, stating that the President promised them 2021 following appeals in Behwain.

“We asked the President for walking aids, and he sent them through the JFK Hospital,” Sarah said.

Peter added: “Thanks to Mrs. Dama Yekeson-Koffa for leading the delegation from the Monrovia Rehabilitation Center at JFK.”

Also Maxwell Teah and Susanna, speaking to the press after receiving wheel chairs with attachments, said the distribution of assistive devices is first of its kind since 2016.

Project Manager Akoi stated that the 200 mobility devices and medical equipment and medicines including the accommodation and internal transport of the delegation were facilitated by Deputy Speaker Cllr. J. Fonati Koffa.

Chief of Office Staff Hilary Koffa, in the office of the Deputy Speaker, said the free distributions of mobility aids are surprisingly increasing the number of voter registrations of persons living with disabilities.

“It’s unprecedented. More PWDs are registering. Thanks to the President, JFK Hospital, and to my boss, the Deputy Speaker.”

Meanwhile, assorted medical items and medicines from the JFK Hospital were donated to the Grand Kru County Health Team.

Mr. Akoi made the donation on behalf of the JFK Hospital, while the County Pharmacist and Acting CHO, Mr. Klecker M. D. Jukoyan received the medical supplies for onward donations to health centers in Grand Kru County.

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