MACOHA Bangwe Factory Centre Manager, Eunious Chirwa, told Zodiak on Saturday that it is pathetic that most persons with disabilities are struggling to earn a living; hence, the need to scale up permanent solutions to support them.

“We are encouraging persons with disabilities to develop a spirit to access vocational skills in order to be self-reliant other than relying on begging on the streets,” said Chirwa.

She said time is now for people with disabilities to engage relevant leaders and be enrolled for different programs in two Macoha vocational skills centers.

"It is very easy to achieve economic independence if a person has skills. we think this is the way to go," she explained.

The manager added that MACOHA Bangwe factory is an example to the country that disability is not inability where various items including mats, carpets, shirts, dresses, hand bags among others are manufactured.

“We want to expand our market and generate more resources in order to support persons with disabilities,” she said.

Chirwa was speaking in Blantyre after showcasing items that are being manufactured at the factory.

The Macoha Bangwe factory centre manager’s sentiments come when Blantyre and other cities in the country are now registering an influx of street children and people with disabilities begging on the streets.

Some of these street children are also being involved in various offences mainly theft.