Pipe water for 500 more by year end

Some 500 persons will receive pipe borne water with a price tag of $290,000 by year’s end.

The Potable Water Project is just one of the projects that will benefit from a $2 million-Alba Caribe poverty alleviation grant from the Venezuelan Government and would be administered by The Ministry of National Mobilization, Social Development, NGO Relations, Family, Gender Affairs and Persons with Disabilities.{{more}}

The other projects that will benefit from the $2 million grant are the Girl Guides expansion project to the tune of $400,000, The Community Youth Education project – $300,000 and the Redemption Sharpes playing field upgrade project, which will be infused with $300,000.

Champion steel orchestra, Starlift will also benefit to the tune of $250,000 for the upgrading of their facilities and training, while the Lodge Village Primary school’s Parent-Teacher Association will be given $90,000 to support their adult and children literacy drive.

The Children against Poverty (CAP) summer programme which was established four years ago is expected to be bigger and better this year and would be given $480,000 to ensure its continued success.

Speaking at a recent press conference, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Rosita Snagg said “We expect to touch much more students this year with this programme.”

CAP was designed to impact children who fit certain poverty alleviation criteria with the hope that their creativity will be stimulated and the wealth of abilities would be brought out in them. This it is hoped will encourage a sense of worth and purposefulness in those who attend the daily month long session.

There is also a parents’ training component to CAP which is being stressed.

In addition to the increase from 12 to 15 centres, touching 20 schools, CAP will also add a new dimension this year.

“We will host a two-week camp for children with little more behavioral problems,” Snagg said.

In total, close to 800 children will benefit from the CAP programme this year.

Speaking to SEARCHLIGHT, Snagg said that the Ministry will have a stringent monitoring system to ensure that the projects are completed and monies are used as they should.

“Each project is expected to have a management committee in place which will be required to submit quarterly reports to the ministry,” she explained.

The Ministry will also organize on the spot visits and the monies allotted to the project will be distributed in phases.