A Dissemination workshop on the study of access and usage of ICTs by People with Disabilities (PWDs) in Uganda has established that 55 percent use mobile money platform whereas the remaining 45 percent don’t use it.
The study further shows that 55 percent of PWDs said they receive mobile money at least once a week but not every day while 38 percent said they receive mobile money less than once a week.
Four percent of the respondents said they receive mobile money at least once a day while a further three percent said they don’t receive any mobile money.
A further 33 percent of PWDs have access to mobile money compared to the national average of 56 percent. Meanwhile 15 percent of the PWDs have access to SACCOS as opposed to the national average of 5 percent.
The study established that 52 percent access social media on their phones, 12 percent have access to computers, 43 percent access a computer weekly and 33 percent access a computer daily.
The main objective of the study was to establish current access and usage patterns of ICTs by PWDs including challenges faced.
National Woman MP for PWDs, Safia Nalule Juuko, applauded the Commission for the baseline study which she said would help government better serve PWDs when it comes to ICT usage.
“UCC has a huge role to play when it comes to involving media houses in conversations about PWDs. This UCC Study on PWDs is a good place to start. Can UCC please copy what is happening in neighbouring Kenya when it comes to implementation,” she said.
UCC’s of Head Strategy and Research Andrew Otim presented the study findings of the baseline report, the first of its kind.
The UCC executive Director Godfrey Mutabazi while officially opening the dissemination workshop on the study, said that the study showed ICT usage by PWDs is quite low in the country. He said UCC was putting in place measures that will solve the challenge.
UCC’s Director Corporate Affairs Fred Otunnu said UCC carries out digital awareness programmes in rural areas that they intend to involve PWDs in the programme. “We are going to seriously involve PWDs in this. We shall support innovation that caters for persons with disabilities. There is so much we have planned for,” he said.