The physical and health conditions of some widows such as widows with disabilities limit their ability to engage in income-generating activities. WODF provides direct support such as food and other life necessities, enabling them to pursue income generating activities and also helping them to obtain mobility equipment such as wheelchairs.

Emilia Elias, a widow with disability from Bariadi district has this to say:

“I became a widow in 2014. Later on I was involved in a road accident whereby I was knocked by a speeding motorcycle and became severely injured. Due to my disadvantaged economic situation, I could not afford specialised medical treatment therefore the lower part of my body paralysed and left me physically disabled. I can no longer walk by my feet, instead, I crawl using my hands.

Despite my situation, I live with my orphaned grandchildren. My son who lived in the city died and his children were brought to me to take care of them. I am living in a very difficult economic situation because with my disability, I cannot work in the field like before where I used to cultivate food crops.

Now I depend on my small business of vending sardines from which I earn a profit of TZS 5,000 (about € 2) in three days after selling one bucket of sardines. This income is too little and insufficient to meet the basic needs of myself and my grandchildren. I will appreciate any financial support that will enable me expand the capital base of my business so that I can have more income to support myself and my grandchildren.

Also because of my mobility problem, I kindly ask WODF to help me with the wheelchair to easy my movement so that it can help me do more in terms of economic activities and support better my grandchildren.

However, I appreciate so much the support rendered by WODF because one of my grandchildren can now attend school regularly unlike before.”

Destitute women with special needs

Destitute women who are heads of household also need to be empowered and supported in multiple ways that include enhancing their capacity through skills training as a sustainable way towards building their economic resilience and where possible helping with the basic needs as the case may be.

Apart from economic empowerment, this destitute woman from Bumbuta village in Kondoa district  living as a single mother is in need of a wheelchair to facilitate her mobility in carrying out her livelihood activities.

Required support for widows with special needs (handicapped)

 Apart from the resources required to enable them start income generating projects, handicapped widows needs additional support in the form of mobility equipment such as tri-cycles or wheelchairs that fit the rural terrain of unpaved roads. Such equipment will help ease their movements and enable them pursue livelihood activities without much difficulties.

A manual tricycle or wheelchair can cost up to €250.
A tricycle powered by a fuel-run engine costs €700, and one litre of fuel can go 40km.