It was all joy, as some persons living with disabilities converge in Ilorin for kits to start their own businesses.

The program facilitated by the Leprosy Mission Nigeria, with the initial plan for 19 persons living with disabilities, ended-up empowering 20 individuals from three communities in Kwara State.

According to Mr. Nafiu Olumuyiwa, the Program Officer of Leprosy Mission Nigeria in Kwara, the beneficiaries are from Offa, Oro Ago, and Eleyin. They are products of a vocational training program that commenced in December 2022 but had to wait for the last batch of trainees to graduate in January 2024.

“Today, is the distribution of startup kit for them to start something. We got funding for this project from the Swedish Mission Council, which is one of our supporting organisations.

In sustaining the initiative, number one we have monitoring work that we do and secondly we connect persons with disabilities with markets to help them sell what they produce,” Mr. Nafiu added.

The Chairman Joint National Association of Persons Living with Disabilities, Kwara State Chapter (JONAPED) YUSUF BASHIR, while lauding efforts of the mission in Kwara, stressed that persons with disabilities can do more if given the enabling environment.

“You can see here that the Leprosy Mission Nigeria is empowering some of our members after training. They also went the extra mile by empowering the selected individuals with startup kit for their business as they see us as having brains to work and be better for society” he said.

On her part, the Women Leader JONAPED, Kwara State Chapter- Madam Joy Bolarin, described the Leprosy Mission Nigeria as a leader in championing a noble course for people living with disabilities.

In her words: “this initiative has been on for years and should I give the figures of those empowered by the Leprosy Mission Nigeria, I will say that they’re in thousands.

They use people with physical challenge as resource persons for their programmes, which is very unique to them. In fact, the Leprosy Mission Nigeria treats us with dignity and we so much appreciate this organisation”

Mr. Ahmed OKELALAN, a visually impaired, who spoke on behalf of the beneficiaries, thanked the organisers for the kind gesture that will enable them lead meaningfully in society.

“I am one of the beneficiaries of Leprosy Mission Nigeria. In December 2022, they came to Offa and selected some of us for vocational training and we got grouped. Some were trained in tailoring, show making while I was among those trained in soap making. I am grateful for the training as I got a call yesterday to come get kits to start my liquid soap business” he said in not.

Some of the items distributed are: Sewing Machines, Generator Sets, food stuffs, and Kits for hair salons.