‘Innovative’ farm, $35,000 grant for persons living with disabilities

The government is enhancing its support for persons living with disabilities through several transformative initiatives. President Dr. Irfaan Ali on Tuesday announced that each person registered as living with a disability will receive an additional $35,000 grant from the state.

“Outside of the $100,000 grant that every person 18 years and above is getting, each person on the register that is close to 26000, will get a grant of $35,000 additionally from the state,” President Ali announced during a Christmas celebration held for persons living with disabilities at State House.

This will amount to approximately $875 million dollars.

In a further significant move toward empowerment, President Ali also revealed plans to establish Guyana’s first innovative farm operated entirely by persons with disabilities.

“The farm will be incorporated with supermarkets with a special section selling produce that will come from that farm,” the Head of State said while adding that the farm will also incorporate climate-smart agricultural practices.

Before the end of the year, further consultations will be held to identify new priorities to support persons living with disabilities.

President Ali further revealed that six additional buses will also be purchased in early 2025 to provide improved transportation for organisations and individuals with disabilities.

He further highlighted that upcoming launch of the Guyana Digital School will feature a platform for special needs education.

Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Vindhya Persaud, during her remarks spoke about initiatives that has transformed the lives of persons living with disabilities.

“Our Support and Aids Programme, where with a simple request, anyone who has a disability can access a wheelchair, a walker, a white cane a hearing aid or even a prosthesis,” she said.

Minister Persaud said for this year alone, over 400 persons living with disabilities were trained in skills such as garment construction.

“…and we continue to expand what we are doing, focusing on education, technical vocation training, ensuring persons living with disabilities have the best quality of life,” the minister said.

She also revealed that for the first time, individuals applying for the permanent disability benefit can now do so entirely online. The shut-in registry further ensures payments or benefits are delivered directly to homes.

To support caregivers, childcare training through the WIIN Programme has been introduced in special needs education and early childhood development.

Meanwhile, Programme Manager at the Guyana Council of Organisations for Persons with Disabilities, Ganesh Singh, noted the improvement of education and training opportunities.

‘there are more opportunities for persons with disabilities to do tertiary education through GOAL or the University of Guyana even at the Cyril Potter College of Education,” Singh said as he called these opportunities transformational.

Singh also shared how the increasing involvement of persons with disabilities in education and the workforce has made a significant impact.

“If somebody invites us to send five persons with disabilities to a workshop, it’s a challenge because they are occupied at work or in school – that is success and achievement,” Singh stated.

While celebrating the strides made, Singh emphasised that more progress is needed in improving access to information and building infrastructure. However, he further acknowledged that persons with disabilities are finally being treated as “people”.