BY MATUKIO DAIMA MEDIA , IRINGA
A young man, Justo Kalinga, a resident of Idete village in Mdabulo ward, Mufindi district, Iringa region, who became disabled after suffering severe burns on his hands while extinguishing a farm fire, has appealed to the government to support people with disabilities by providing loans to help them become self-employed through the skills they acquire.
Kalinga is one of 134 people with disabilities receiving training through the Youth Agency Mufindi (YAM) project, which supports youth from 16 villages in three wards in Mufindi District — Mdabulo, Luhunga, and Ihanu.
Kalinga said that after his condition improved slightly, he was lucky to get the opportunity to learn agriculture and livestock keeping through the YAM project, which he believes will be beneficial for his future, his family, and the community at large.
"I have faced many life challenges, but despite those challenges, I have not given up. I joined this project to empower myself so I can become self-employed and support my family. We are asking the government to support us with loans so we can improve our economic situation," he said.
Speaking about how he became disabled, Kalinga recalled an unforgettable day in his life when he and a colleague, whom he had worked with for a long time, went to clear a farm using fire.
"Unfortunately, the fire got out of control. We tried to contain it, but the smoke overwhelmed us and we collapsed. I suffered burns on both my hands. I have spent a long time undergoing treatment while struggling to ensure I do not end up permanently disabled."
Kalinga expressed his gratitude to God for his continued recovery and for the opportunity to join the training program. He added that he no longer sees his burns as a disability but rather as one of life’s challenges.
"Being disabled does not mean you will be poor. As you go around, you meet people with even more severe disabilities than mine, but they are still fighting and working hard. That inspires me to remain determined and motivated to learn from this project."
He said his dream is to become a large-scale farmer and livestock keeper, both locally and internationally. However, he is not yet able to engage in any income-generating activities because his hands are still healing from the burns.
"I am currently attending training to acquire skills that will help me generate income in the future. After completing the training, we plan to form groups to apply for loans from various sources. We are hopeful we will receive support to become self-reliant through different projects and small businesses."
The Youth Agency Mufindi (YAM) training program brings together 134 youth with disabilities from 16 villages across three wards in Mufindi District — Mdabulo, Luhunga, and Ihanu.
This training offers young people with disabilities the opportunity to develop economically, freeing them from reliance on begging or staying at home unemployed.
Before joining the project, Justo was involved in traditional poultry keeping, which was not done professionally. When the training opportunity came, he embraced it wholeheartedly.
Speaking about his family, Kalinga said he lives with his mother and seven siblings — five brothers and two sisters — all under their mother’s care.
His education level is Standard 7, but he later pursued vocational training in construction. However, after the fire incident, he was unable to continue his studies due to the disability caused by the burns.
The YAM Project was established in 2021 and was planned to be implemented over a period of four years until 2024. The project is funded by the Government of Finland through its Diaconess Institute, in collaboration with the Government of Tanzania through the Mufindi District Council and the Foxes Community and Wildlife Conservation organization.
Due to the project’s success, it has been extended for a fifth year in 2025, with a specific focus on young people and children with disabilities from the three wards of Ihanu, Mdabulo, and Luhunga.
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