The Malawi Council for the Handicapped (MACOHA) has called on people to support students with disabilities who lack various needs such as school fees.
Speaking in an interview, MACOHA Rehabilitation Office for Dowa Billy Maupa said many needy students including those with disabilities are being left out in bursary schemes hence they need help.
He noted that the current bursary scheme in Dowa funded by National Aids Commission (NAC) only supports continuing secondary school students whom the organisation started sponsoring from Form One.
He also asked the Dowa District Council to establish other ways of mobilising funds which can help persons with disabilities learn in a conducive environment and contribute positively to the development of their areas, communities and the district as a whole.
According to Maupa, his office has already approached several organisations such as Islamic Zakaat Fund to assist needy students.
“But the Islamic Zakaat Fund (IZF) only supports communities with disabilities who are Moslems only and so far, Dowa does not have Moslems with disabilities in need of school fees,” he said.
However, speaking at a recent council meeting held at the boma, Dowa South East parliamentarian Harry Njoka Chipeni claimed that the council has money to support needy students in the district.
He expressed surprise as to why the council is failing to support needy students considering that it collects a lot of money from its satellite markets.
