EMPOWERING associates of the disabled society, the Fiji National Council for Disabled Persons conducted training sessions aimed at financially supporting their members.
Executive officer Kaushilya Prasad said the purpose of the initiative was to promote positive attitude for persons living with disabilities.
By using vocational training (TVET), she said, people with disabilities would be part of the rehabilitation program within their community.
“We believe that these kinds of opportunities will support persons with disabilities to be self-reliant as this will set a platform to use our skills to make progress in life,” she said.
“This training is targeted at persons with disabilities in the selected community and the one-week training included basic joinery works, tie and dye, screen-printing, flower arrangement and event decorations.
“The trainees are divided into three different categories which included three groups and they were youths and men with disabilities, women with disabilities and mothers of persons with disabilities.
“We have a quarterly budget allocation from the Government for this training.”
Ms Prasad said the target of the first phase was to conduct three trainings per quarter depending on the different settings and locations.
“The recent training is phase two whereby we give out a starter pack for these groups to create their business,” she said.
“The portal tools belong to the council and it is not for any individual use or borrowing. “The responsibility will be given to the district committee to oversee the utilisation and safe keeping of equipment and machines.”
The third phase, she added, was to monitor the progressive development of persons with disabilities in building their skills and marketable enterprises.
