A proposed micro-credit scheme to benefit eligible single parents, particularly women, was on Tuesday approved by Cabinet.
The proposal was forwarded by Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Priya Manickchand, Secretary to the Cabinet Dr Roger Luncheon told a post-Cabinet news briefing yesterday. He said under the programme-design, funds allocated by the government as well as those provided by financial institutions would be used to finance micro-credit level loans to be made available to eligible single parents.
Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh’s budget presentation earlier this year had said that an allocation of $50M in the 2010 budget has been made to continue Government’s programme of improving the lot of single parents.
Already, under an ongoing Single Parent Assistance Programme, a total of 324 single parents in some regions of the country have received day-care vouchers to subsidise the cost of child-care.
In addition, 374 single parents have also received training in areas such as cosmetology, catering, information technology, office procedures, childcare, and care for the elderly, all aimed at empowering them.