400 Corentyne women to be empowered through agri-business ventures

President Dr Irfaan Ali has announced that some 400 single mothers will receive grants to start their businesses in the agriculture sector.
During his two-day visit to Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) over the weekend, Ali announced plans for single mothers to be involved in economic activities. He pointed out that the Government intends to launch the programme within three months. It will focus on generating financial growth for single mothers, allowing them to do better for their families.

“While we are having massive transformation within these communities, I have heard also that many of the single mothers especially who want to get involved in agro-tech businesses, who want to get involved in producing things in their yard so that they can add to their disposable income – so that they can generate more economic activity and do better for their families. That is what we want; we want every single family in this country to aspire to do better for their family, and we must find the mechanism to help them to do better for their families and their communities,” President Ali said.
The initiative will include the construction of shade houses at the participants’ homes. The single mothers will also be able to venture into poultry rearing, dairy farming, and even swine and honey production.
“We will work with you on building shade houses; some of you, help some of you with the black giant birds to produce eggs to sell in the market.”
For those living in close proximity to areas where they can have grazing areas for animals, the President said the initiative could see them receiving cattle so that they can produce milk for the local market.
“Because cow milk is good milk. Some of you who want to go into swine production, we are going to assist you with that. We will also assist those who want to get into honey production. We are going to give you not only the training and the protective gear, we are going to help you start a honey production business so you can [access] opportunities,” he said.
The announcement was made by the President while at the Tain Berbice Campus where he outlined that 200 women from the Lower Corentyne will benefit from the project. When he met with residents in the Black Bush Polder, the Head of State said a similar project will be rolled out there also targeting 200 female led single households with 50 coming from each of the four polders of Yakasary, Johanna, Mibicuri and Lesbeholden.