– former programme director says state endorsement could unlock further EU funding

The positive outcomes of the three-year four million euros European Union-funded Guyana Micro Projects Programme have more than made a case for further funding to allow for continuity, according to Jimmy Bhojedat who served as programme director for the project.

Under the Guyana Micro Projects Programme 122 micro projects were implemented across nine of the country’s ten administrative regions. The initiatives comprised both training and start-up funding as well as various forms of technical support. Bhojedat told Stabroek Business that the success of the project in building capacity to plan and execute socio-economic ventures was one of the most significant accomplishments of the initiative.

With the programme having come to an end more than a year ago, Bhojedat said he believed that funding from the EU to consolidate the work done under the programme would be forthcoming with government endorsement.

He said while the principal objective of the programme was to help tackle poverty in deserving communities it had also served to provide employment and training, created a corps of non-state actors including NGOs and community-based organizations, resulted in the development of an independent micro-projects board and created a vehicle for dialogue between government and civil society.

Among the projects developed under the Guyana Micro Projects Programme are a Global Outreach Centre for school dropouts, a Centre for the Teaching of Life Skills and a School Kitchen in Region Nine.

Bhojedat told Stabroek Business that while, upon reflection he was satisfied that the Guyana Micro Projects Programme had made a modest impact on reducing poverty he was concerned that the sustainability of many of the projects depended on further technical and financial support. “Some of our projects have been so successful that they have actually been able to apply for and access funding from other lending agencies to ensure their continuity. On the other hand there are others that are still vulnerable and need support,” Bhojedat told Stabroek Business.

Initially designed for a duration of five years the Guyana Micro Projects Pro-gramme was eventually condensed into three and a half years. Programme implementation commenced in February 2005 and the programme benefited from the services of three international technical advisers.