WoW project to be expanded this year

In excess of Gy$16 million was pumped into the Women of Worth (WoW) micro loan programme in 2012 with hundreds of persons benefiting from the initiative.
Human Services and Social Security Minister Jenifer Webster made this disclosure on Monday during a press conference at her Stabroek office, Georgetown.
According to Webster, 977 loans were distributed to women across the country giving them the opportunity to establish businesses or expand businesses of their own.
Webster said the ministry has big plans for the programme this year, noting that it will be expanded. She said the extension of the programme will create greater opportunities for women in Guyana, particularly single women. Webster further stated that the Human Services Ministry will be endorsing more training programmes that will equip beneficiaries with the requisite skills and knowledge to be successful entrepreneurs.
“We plan to embark on helping persons to find markets for their produce or items they are producing, because we find that access to market will help those beneficiaries to be able to expand their businesses,” she noted.
The WoW initiative was launched by the Human Services and Social Security Ministry in collaboration with the Guyana Bank for Trade and Industry (GBTI) in 2010, with the aim of providing financial assistance to single women via the provision of loans, ranging from Gy$100,000 to Gy$250,000, to establish and expand small businesses, with a maximum repayment period of 24 months.
Childhood development
Meanwhile, on another issue, the minister said for 2013, the ministry’s Childcare and Protection Agency (CCPA) will be rolling out an early childhood development programme. This will see the registration and licensing of daycare facilities countrywide.
Minister Webster stated that the CCPA is seeking to establish a department to deal with family court issues and a special programme is also being considered to address the issue of errant fathers. “This is to deal with fathers who are not up to date with their payments for child support,” she explained.
According to her, the ministry is looking specifically at developing a department which will deal with maintenance payments for children by fathers. Webster said in 2013, her ministry will inspect all children homes and orphanages around the country.
In addition, the minister said that plans are in place to have children de-institutionalised; this is with the provision of increased support for parents to remove their child/ children from institutional care.
Further to this, she noted that the ministry will be working closely with the National Committee on Disability to implement special-care programmes for children with these problems.