5 Government Financial Supports Available For Persons with Disabilities in Kenya

NSNP seeks to enhance the capacities of caregivers through cash transfers in order to improve the livelihoods of persons with severe disabilities and also reduce negative impact of disability on households. This service targets adults and children with disabilities who require full time support of a caregiver. The objectives of NSNP are to strengthen the capacities of parents and children with disabilities, improve the livelihoods of parents and children with disabilities and alleviate integrated poverty among parents and children with disabilities. 

The NCPWD provides assistive devices to people living with disabilities in order to enable persons with disabilities to function in society. These are devices and services designed to enable greater independence of persons with disabilities. Some of these devices include wheelchairs, crutches, hearing aids, calipers, surgical boots and prosthetic arms or legs. The government also gives provision for sign language interpreters.  These individuals are given priority so that they are facilitated in learning, training and in the work environment.

Economic empowerment services are also offered through a fund that provides grants to Community and Self Help Groups or Revolving Fund Schemes. The aim of these grants is to help persons with disabilities gain self-sufficiency in generating income and to enable them to gain the skills and experience to access the loans required to grow their business.  The groups that would qualify for this fund must be of and for persons with disabilities. This can include the caregivers of Persons with Disabilities. Economic empowerment grants are also for established groups of persons with disabilities to start up business activities.

Education Assistance is a programme that aims to improve persons with disability  enrolment, retention and competition of education cycle for the eventual engagement in decent and gainful employment. The National Development Fund for Persons With Disabilities provides support to persons with disabilities from Primary, Secondary, Colleges, Vocational Training Schools and University. Education grant aims to empower people with disabilities by enhancing opportunities for them in education, training and rehabilitation institutions. This program is open to individuals or their guardians to apply for all levels of education for secondary, tertiary education, vocational training, vocational rehabilitation centers, universities and special educational establishments. PhD’s however are not funded. The Government covers 50% of the tuition but in some cases and especially in cases of extreme poverty, the government may cover the entire tuition.

The Infrastructure and Equipment grants aim to enable the maintenance and growth of organizations that seek to help persons with disabilities by providing education or social services. The eligible organizations are education institutions, special schools and special units and social service delivery organizations include non-government organizations and social care institution. The government supports care centers that have won support to improve toilets to make them accessible for persons with disabilities or schools that expand units that focus on children with disabilities. The Government of Kenya has been funding institutions to buy equipment for classrooms that are accessible for children with disabilities or universities.