Human Services and Social Security Minister Dr Vindhya Persaud conducted an outreach in Mocha Arcadia on the East Bank of Demerara on Saturday, where she visited and distributed hampers to vulnerable persons in the community.
Human Services and Social Security Minister Dr Vindhya Persaud
The Minister was accompanied by the Permanent Secretary, Shannielle Hoosein-Outar and a team of social and welfare officers.
During the exercise, the team educated women in the community on accessing various support and training programmes offered by the Ministry.
Addressing a small group of women following the distribution exercise, Minister Persaud explained that the intention was to ensure the Government’s programmes are accessible to Guyanese and to provide support in the form of care packages to the vulnerable in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Minister Persaud in discussion with a resident of Mocha on Saturday
The Ministry has been implementing a successful garment and cottage industry initiative targeting single parents and women by honing their existing skills.
Minister Persaud said participants are also trained in functional business literacy, sustainable business and micro-enterprise and social issues.
“Every initiative the Ministry develops will have that component. So, it’s teaching you not the skills but helping you to create a market that is sustainable so that you can have financial independence,” she said.
While the programme focuses on women, Minister Persaud said she was overwhelmed to see a few men also expressing interest.
“Employment is challenging; as you know, the Government has promised to increase the number of persons who are employed and so this is all moving in that direction.”
Moreover, Minister Persaud explained that the intent was also to ascertain how people are managing during the COVID-19 pandemic, and to determine what additional support could be offered to those in need.
“I seized the opportunity today to visit persons in their homes and continue the distribution of hampers which the Ministry would have been doing … we also give out hundreds of hampers at the Ministry because people come to us with all kinds of requests,” Dr Persaud said.
The team also used the opportunity to highlight some of the social issues plaguing the society, especially as it relates to gender-based violence and the role the community could play in addressing it.
Similar exercises were conducted in Bath Settlement and Lovely Lass in Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice) and La Parfaite Harmonie in Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara).
