In observance of International Women’s Day yesterday, First Lady Arya Ali has granted another 15 fully-funded scholarships to vulnerable women from three local non-governmental organizations (NGOs) through a collaboration with the Ministry of Public Service.
At a ceremony held at State House, a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed between the Office of the First Lady and the Ministry of Public Service for the latter to provide financial support which will cover the tuition, transportation, meals and uniforms for the women.
A release from the Office of the First Lady said that seven scholarships were awarded to women from ChildLink, five from Red Cross, and three from Help and Shelter. The scholarships will allow these women the opportunity to pursue training at the Carnegie School of Home Economics (CSHE) for at least one year.
This is the second batch of women to be provided with training through this programme, the release said. Last year, 15 women also benefitted from the programme.
The 15 recipients of the scholarships are women who are considered to be highly vulnerable because of the conditions under which they lived or still live, and the fact that they were unable to complete formal education. Some are also victims of domestic violence.
“Our women require the tools that are necessary to ensure that they are able to fully participate in every sector of our economy and every sphere of life. They must be educated, trained, nurtured, mentored, financed, and supported in every possible way to guarantee their advancement; and that is what this programme seeks to do,” Mrs Ali said, according to the release . She said that upon assuming office, she prioritized the needs of women, particularly the most vulnerable, and has not backed away from her responsibility of ensuring that their lives are improved.
On Saturday, 20 women from the Barima-Waini Region graduated from the Atlantic Alliance Maritime and Offshore Training Institute (AAMOTI) through another fully-funded scholarship programme between the institute and the Office of the First Lady.
One hundred women from the hinterland are expected to be trained this year through that programme.
