Supply chain initiative aims to empower persons with disabilities in Zambia

World Vision has rolled out a supply chain initiative in Zambia, aimed at empowering persons with disabilities through its Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) integration. 

As a way of helping people with disabilities to be self-sustaining, the organisation organised a one-day meeting with the Zambia Federation of Disability Organisations (ZAFOD) and their members. The meeting was aimed at understanding barriers faced by Persons Living With Disabilities (PLWD) in supplying goods and services to World Vision in Zambia. Through the initiative, World Vision hopes to enlist businesses owned by PLWD as vendors to supply various goods and services.

At the consultative meeting, it was revealed that access to funding was a major barrier for PLWD to engage in business. World Vision is looking into ways to connect PLWD to organisations like VisionFund, World Vision's micro-finance arm, where they can access business loans.

World Vision's Zambia office is piloting the GESI integration in supply chain in Southern Africa.