MORE than 160 women and girls of Region Two this week signed on to the Women’s Innovation and Investment Network (WIIN) programme by the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security.

Several persons of Anna Regina and Charity expressed their appreciation and gratitude for subject minister, Dr. Vindhya Persaud’s efforts to take the ministry’s services to them in their own communities.

WIIN, which seeks to empower women and girls, helping them become financially independent, was launched last May and piloted in Baramita. So far, over 4,000 applications have been received, with Minister Persaud promising that everyone should be trained by the end of this year.

“Keep on signing up because WIIN will be continuously rolled out,” the minister urged residents of Region Two during her outreach there on Wednesday. She took the opportunity to educate persons on how the WIIN programme works and encouraged them not to let age, academic background or any other factor deter them from signing on to it.

“It’s always good to be receptive to opportunities for learning and make much of it,” Minister Persaud advised, adding, “Don’t only commit to starting the programme but cross the finish line and ‘WIIN’. Everyone who applies will get through.”

Minister Persaud has been conducting outreaches across all regions of Guyana and in the case of Region Two this time; it was a follow-up visit to distribute spectacles after a significant number of persons were tested on the previous occasion under the ministry’s eye care programme.

The spectacles programme, for which over 1,000 pairs of glasses have been distributed in partnership with several eye care centres, was offered to every region across the country except for Region Five which will be done in September. Staff of the ministry was on hand last Wednesday to fix any problems with the spectacles on the spot so that the residents could’ve benefitted from a perfect fit.

Dr. Persaud also used the visit to distribute hampers to senior citizens and those living with disabilities. She announced to the pensioners that this year, they will be able to get their 2022 pension books by October.

“So you don’t have to go anywhere special, you don’t have to line up for any of the vouchers because as you’re collecting your pension, you’ll collect the book for next year same time. Through the ministry, we’ve been working hard to ensure that our senior citizens are being cared for,” Minister Persaud offered. The ministry has also placed several measures in place to simplify processes and make the access to service easier and in less time.

Rosealine Thompson, a resident, was very happy to have received her spectacles during the outreach. “I had to pay thousands of dollars for my last spectacles and I am a pensioner. I do sewing so it will help a lot,” she remarked. Premnauth Ramcharran and Yougmattie Boodhoo are other residents of Region Two who were grateful for their spectacles, calling attention to how expensive it was to get them otherwise.