The Ministry of Social Transformation, Local Government and Community Empowerment has partnered with the Organization of American States (OAS) and the Development Cooperation Fund (DCF) on the implementation of  a social protection program to be executed by the Ministry of Social Transformation.

"As per the ministry’s mandate we are supposed to provide assistance to vulnerable persons in the country," Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Social Transformation, Juliana Alfred, said. "We must ensure that our services are accessible to those persons and this makes this project very important. The project allows the vulnerable group of persons with disabilities access to economic opportunities for generating income.”

At an April 27 meeting , the management board of the Inter-American Agency for Cooperation and Development approved an estimated contribution of US$130,000 for the program’s implementation which includes capacity building and economic empowerment.

OAS Administrative Assistant Celia Pierre said that the new DCF invites national, regional and  international actors from both private and public sectors to join the effort by combining resources to achieve more results which will aid sustainable development in member states.

The general objective of the program  is to create opportunities for productive employment among vulnerable groups.

Lancha Isidore of the National Council for Persons with Disabilities expressed gratitude for the project.

"Persons with disabilities form part of our society. These persons are most times excluded from society and so this project would be extremely beneficial. Integration is important.”

The signing ceremony was held on July 30, and was attended by officials of OAS, Ministry of Economic Development and Planning, representatives from the National Council of and for Persons with Disabilities and the National Council for Older Persons.