Saturday, May 24, 2008

Kenya unveils survey of people with disabilities

The Kenya National Survey for Persons with Disabilities found that 5% of Kenyans have some kind of disability, about 1.5 million people.

The survey done by National Coordinating Agency for Population and Development and the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics looked at the number of people with disabilities, their distribution, the nature of their disabilities and their causes.

The survey evaluated problems faced by those living with disabilities and how they cope with them, according to NationMedia. It looked at the services and rehabilitation programs available to Kenyans with disabilities.

According to the World Bank, in developing countries, "disability can cause poverty by preventing the full participation of persons with disabilities in the economic and social life of their communities."

The survey in Kenya found that the most prevalent disability was some type of visual impairment or problem with vision.