For Owusu Michael, a phone repairer in Tafo, a small piece of equipment could change how much work he is able to take on each day.He has been given a phone repair equipment under the latest disbursement of the Disability Fund by the Old Tafo Municipal Assembly in the Ashanti Region.The equipment, he says, will allow him to work faster and improve his livelihood.“The phone repair tool will help me do more work in a day than I was able to do before. It will help improve my standard of living,” he said.Michael is one of 31 persons with disabilities receiving support under the second disbursement of the fund in 2026.The intervention, according to the Old Tafo Municipal Assembly, is intended to move beyond immediate assistance and help beneficiaries establish or strengthen livelihoods.At a ceremony in the municipality, the Municipal Chief Executive, Abubakar Sadiq, said the support should be seen as an investment in the ability of persons with disabilities to participate in economic life.“Persons with disabilities are not merely recipients of social support. They are citizens with skills, talents, aspirations and the capacity to contribute significantly to the development of their families, communities and our municipality.”The assembly says 33 persons with disabilities received educational and medical support in July 2026.The latest beneficiaries are receiving items and support for activities including poultry, onion farming, trading, food-related businesses and other enterprises.The MCE said the government’s decision to increase the allocation for persons with disabilities under the District Assemblies Common Fund from three per cent to five per cent in 2026 had created greater room for assemblies to respond to the needs of beneficiaries.“The government’s decision to increase the allocation for persons with disabilities under the District Assemblies Common Fund from 3% to 5% in 2026 is therefore a significant step towards strengthening disability inclusion and economic empowerment.”For the beneficiaries, the value of the intervention lies in what the items can enable them to do. Sulemana Issaka runs a small container business where he sells tea, indomie and other items.He received a freezer and says it could allow him to expand into selling chilled water and drinks.“The freezer I have received will enable me to expand my business by selling water and drinks.” He said the support came unexpectedly.“I am very grateful and thankful for what I have received today. I was not expecting it at all.”The Social Welfare Director, Anita Donkor, said the items were not selected simply for distribution.She said the beneficiaries first made requests, after which the department and the Disability Fund Management Committee conducted needs assessments to determine whether the requested items were appropriate for their intended livelihoods.“We are supposed to conduct needs assessments to ensure that the items the beneficiaries request are appropriate and are what they really need to enhance their livelihoods.”In some cases, she said, the assessment led beneficiaries to change their initial requests. In others, the assessment confirmed that what had been requested was suitable.But Ms Donkor says receiving the items is only the beginning. “Don’t keep them in your household. Make sure you use the items, and the profits you are going to get from them, don’t spend them.”She urged beneficiaries to reinvest their earnings into their businesses rather than consume the initial gains.“When you get money from the things you sell, keep it and use it to buy more items when your stock is finished, so that your investment or business can progress.”From training to a new opportunityFor Michael, the support brings back memories of an earlier opportunity that helped him develop his skills.He said he attended a phone repair training programme organised by RLG in Sunyani during the era of the late President John Evans Fiifi Atta Mills, where he received a blower and GH¢1,000.The latest support, he believes, could further improve his work.“The items given to us today will be of great help to us especially me. I am a phone repairer and me given a phone microscope will help me do more work in a day than I was used to doing before receiving this machine.”He expressed gratitude to the MCE and President John Dramani Mahama.The Old Tafo Municipal Assembly says there are 618 registered persons with disabilities in the municipality.The MCE acknowledged that the 31 people receiving support represent only a portion of those who may require assistance.He said the assembly would continue, within available resources and relevant guidelines, to reach eligible beneficiaries.“Our ambition is not simply to distribute support. It is to create an environment where persons with disabilities can work, earn, learn, build businesses, support their families and participate fully in community life.”The assembly also plans to involve traditional authorities, community leaders and disability organisations in the process.The MCE said the Department of Social Welfare and Community Development and the Disability Fund Management Committee would continue monitoring the use of the support.He said the success of the fund should ultimately be judged not by the number of items distributed but by what beneficiaries achieve with them.“Our ultimate objective should be to move from dependency to empowerment, from vulnerability to resilience, and from assistance to sustainable livelihoods.”For Michael and Issaka, that transition has already begun with equipment they believe can help them earn more.For the assembly, the bigger challenge now is ensuring that the support translates into businesses that survive, grow and improve the lives of the people it was intended to serve.