– massive outreaches hosted in Regions five, six

Through the Women Innovation and Investment Network (WIIN), the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security is set to upskill over 3000 vulnerable women across Guyana as courses roll out for 2022.

Registration for seven free and internationally accredited courses, in both introductory and intermediate levels, officially got underway on Friday last, as the Ministry hosted two massive outreaches in Regions Five and Six.

Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Dr. Vindhya Persaud, who conceptualised WIIN back in 2021, which has seen over 2000 women trained since its inception, noted that the value of the training was unequivocal.

Minister Persaud said, “This free training programme has an excellent plus, which is, that you don’t need anything to access the programme. In other words, you don’t need CSEC you don’t need anything to get into the programme. All I ask you is to start it and finish it, nothing else. So don’t come one day and drop off the next day, stay for the entirety. We are catering for over 3000 persons this year.”

Minister Persaud outlined that the Ministry follows through in getting one from an idea to a sustainable business with every aspect catered for under the programme.

“I’ve never believed in training people and not thinking what will happen to the persons who have been trained… So, what do I mean by that? What do you do with your training? We want to teach you to create opportunities. We want to teach you how to become entrepreneurs. We want to teach you how to start your own business, how to grow your own business and how you can sustain your own business. Age is no barrier, everyone is welcome.” Minister Persaud said.

From there, persons can access the Business incubator for step-by-step assistance, free marketing with the WIIN app and even access to funding.

To register, one simply has to follow the link on the Ministry’s website (MHSSS.gov.gy) or the Ministry’s Facebook page. For more information one should contact 229-2751 or 229-2842.

Meanwhile, Minister Persaud was also flocked by over 700 residents in the two Regions who offered words of gratitude for her and her team’s work throughout the country and asked questions that were pertinent to them.

The Ministry rolled out a vital exercise targetting persons with disabilities who benefitted from several assistive aids including wheelchairs, walking sticks and hearing aids, while also getting valuable information on accessing funding and training.

Minister told the gatherings, “We’re here for persons living with disabilities. We’ve not left anyone out. In addition to what we are providing in terms of support aids, we’re also providing training to persons who are living with disabilities. We would have started this initiative late last year and are continuing it. Why? Because persons living with disabilities have dreams, they want to have jobs, they want to be a part of everything else. We are providing the same opportunity that parallels the WIIN programme, not only the assistive aids and the training. There is a revolving fund for people living with disabilities who would like to start their own businesses.”

The Ministry also had officers from the different departments including Childcare and Protection Agency, Public Assistance, Old Age Pension, Domestic Violence Unit and Gender Affairs Bureau to offer support to citizens who had questions.

“This morning we are here for many reasons and the significant thing is that the ministry has always been one which reaches out to people outside of the office, outside of the confines of structures and institutions, because it is my personal belief that we need to take services to all the people of Guyana…” Minister Persaud said.