Empowerment: Ebonyi begins registration of PWDs

The Registration of members of Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities (JONAPWD) under the Beyond Disabilities Project (BDP) for empowerments of PWDs is set to begin in Ebonyi.

Mr Steve Ezeh, the National Coordinator of BDP who disclosed this on Wednesday during his visit to the state, said that the exercise would begin with collection of data.

Supreme news reports that the BDP which was officially launched by President Bola Tinubu on July 22, 2024 sought to empower over 5, 000 PWDs through talent and skill development.

Ezeh, who is also the Director General of the project, disclosed that the project was expected to provide training, mentorship, resources and empower them to unlock their unique potential.

According to him, the initiative would create job opportunities for persons with disabilities to improve their economic well-being.

He explained that the project aimed to empower persons with disabilities through skills and talent developments among others to make them self reliant.

“The initiative shifted focus from helping to assisting them to build strong mindset and values to step into the life they desire.

“The structure will capture all persons with disabilities down to the grassroots because we do not want nobody to be left behind.

“We want to start by data capturing. Another is engaging them in an attitudinal change campaign to comport themselves.

“Some of them, because the society has left them behind, have lost their self confidence.

“So we first want to build their confidence before we start inculcating and bringing those empowerment to them,” Ezeh said.

In her remarks, Wife of the Ebonyi Gov, Mrs Mary-Maudline Nwifuru also charged the PWDs on reactivation of their talents for economic well being.

Nwifuru, who handed over cash gifts and over 300 bags of rice to members of the group, urged them to harness and utilise them.

The governor’s wife assured the group of the state government readiness to work with the organisation.