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Poverty Reduction Fund Assists Blind Welfare Association's Scrapbook Project
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Poverty Reduction Fund Assists Blind Welfare Association's Scrapbook Project
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Contact: Ayodele Hippolyte Thursday, September 07, 2000 - The St. Lucia Blind Welfare Association has embarked on a major project that will provide employment for six (6) visually impaired young persons. The project consists of the production of approximately 20,000 scrapbooks by these persons to be used in infant and primary schools across the island. The Association has received a financial contribution of $50,000 from the Poverty Reduction Fund that has pledged its support for the project. Speaking at the handing over ceremony on Thursday at the headquarters of the Association, Executive Director, Anthony Avril, says that creating employment for the blind and visually impaired is critical to reducing poverty throughout the society. "We in the Blind Welfare Association are of the view that we can do all the educating, all the training that we can but until you can find a way for blind and visually impaired people to earn a living, to be able to access gainful employment, to be empowered to look after themselves and their needs and their families, the work would not be complete," he argued. In presenting the cheque to Mr. Avril, Acting Executive Director of the Poverty Reduction Fund, Donovan Williams, congratulated the Association’s initiative and described the project as a model to be emulated by other groups primarily because of its sustainability. He says the Fund is keen to be a part of any undertaking that emphasizes productivity and innovation. The team of six visually impaired youths has produced just over 20,000 scrapbooks within three months. The Ministry of Education has endorsed the project and has recommended that the scrapbooks be included in this academic year’s booklists. The Association was also assisted by J. E Bergasse Ltd., which provided materials and the space in which the persons could work. The scrapbook project was conceived by the Coordinator of the Education Unit of the Association, Magdalena Maxwell, who feels that the creative value of scrapbooks has been overlooked by our education system. This is why she chose this particular project, which she says could benefit the six youths financially, and the thousands of infant and primary students creatively. |
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