Kakamega: A non-governmental organization, Light for the World, has concluded a seven-year empowerment project, leaving behind a self-reliant group of people with disabilities in Kakamega county.
According to Kenya News Agency, the project, Inclusive Business (In-Business), began in 2019 and concluded this month (October 2025), having supported People with Disabilities (PWDs) to improve their businesses and livelihoods.
Speaking to KNA during the project’s closure meeting, the Head of Programmes at Light for the World Kenya, Lucy Murage, stated that they targeted people with disabilities and caregivers of persons with disabilities. The project was launched to address challenges that made it difficult for people with disabilities to start and grow their businesses.
‘A baseline survey carried out by the organization identified challenges such as lack of start-up capital, limited access to markets, business operation barriers, and inadequate education on business management,’ she explained.
The project was implemented by a consortium of partners, including Light for the World, Humanity and Inclusion, the United Disabled Persons of Kenya (UDPK), and Sense International. Light for the World was the lead implementer, while UDPK focused on capacity building and advocacy. Humanity and Inclusion implemented the project among the refugee PWDs population in Kakuma, and Sense International supported persons with complex disabilities.
Apart from Kakamega, the project was also implemented in Nairobi, Kiambu, Machakos, Meru, Laikipia, Homabay, Migori, Bomet, Kitui, Mombasa, and Turkana. The Project was funded by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and began with a pilot phase from 2019 to 2021, followed by a scale-up phase between 2022 and 2025.
The participating people with disabilities, referred to as Micro-Entrepreneurs (MEs), underwent intensive training sessions, with some receiving growth kits that enabled them to expand their businesses and access new markets.
According to Murage, the project has transformed the lives of participants. She urged the county government to adopt the Inclusive business model and provide more business opportunities for Micro-Entrepreneurs with disabilities. ‘We offered various training including technical compliance, business registration, Access to Government Procurement Opportunities (AGPO), tax education by the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) and guidance on business permits,’ she added.
One of the beneficiaries, Atieno Joan Simuli, a Micro-Entrepreneur from Lugari Sub County, said she benefited from the project’s training on self-advocacy, record keeping, and financial management. She noted that the growth kit she received enabled her to expand her business from a canteen to a retail shop and also opened a posho mill.
Another beneficiary, Lusy Busaka from Chekalini Ward in Lugari, testified that the project helped her grow her business after she was linked to markets. She now supplies cereals, soap, and timber to four schools in Malava Sub-County. ‘I have accessed a big network of markets and now I am proud I have achieved a major financial breakthrough courtesy of Light for the World,’ she added.
The area Chief Officer for Social Services, Children Services, Gender and Culture, Christine Kimungui, said the county government will continue to support people with disabilities through provision of assistive devices, awards of tenders, and issuance of grants to boost their businesses. ‘The County government will provide empowerment grants where two groups for people with disabilities from every ward will benefit from it. Each group receives a grant of Sh 50,000,’ she explained.