Parents in the northern part of Dominica who are forced to stay home to care for a child suffering from disabilities will get some relief soon.
Construction for the Respite Center Project, which will cater for children with special needs, is expected to begin early in the new year.
Vice President of Children with disabilities In Society (PACIS) Emille Lancelot, told a press briefing on Tuesday that the project, which will be constructed in Chance, Portsmouth, comes at an opportune time, and will offer day care services for children with a disability or who are severely disabled.
Lancelot further revealed that a contract for the project was signed and work will begin in 2014.
According to him there are over 4,000 children with disabilities or special needs on the island, with over 60 percent coming from Portsmouth, Marigot and St. Joseph.
He said six to seven full time staff will be employed at the institution and government has given its word of a subvention of EC$70,000 per year for staff salaries.
A grant from the Basic Needs Trust Fund (BNTF) and the Caribbean Development Bank, in the amount of EC$1.2 Million, will cover the cost of equipment, construction and the training of caregivers for the center, according to Lancelot.
Meantime Coordinator and facilitator of PACIS, Alma Darroux, said the organization is taking its third installment of a series of workshops to schools around the island under the theme ‘Let the barriers be Trampled down!’
The workshops, which began in 2007 and were again presented from 2010-2011 is being funded by a grant in excess of £$13,000, by the British High Commission in Barbados
“It was created to educate students about the issue of challenges/disabilities and the rights and needs of persons with challenges. It will further seek to dispel myths and stereotypes normally negatively associated with persons with challenges,” she stated.
It is hoped that the workshop will encourage students to become advocates for persons with challenges.
The workshop series project is expected to run from January to December, 2014.
Proud to hear about such a project. Let us know what kind of help is needed once things are in swing.
Best thing i have read in the news in years
Great work in helping the care givers in getting a break we definitely need such a center in the country. Hats off to the team.
fast and furious remember paul walker
Hard work and persistent bears results. Congratulations PACIS. II want to say specail congratulations to Mr.Lancelot he worked had and pushed for that project and today i am happy that there is some light at the end of the tunnel.
Good job.
Great news.
Great news. We need such a facility badly.
that’s very good for the comunity
great job.
We really need this in DA…
eXCELLENT WORK!
Yet they saying the government not doing nothing!
I cannot understant that na boy live my PM alone ok.
They are just jealous of what my PM is achieving. They must be thinking, Why didn’t think of these things? But they were too busy pocketing money. They took our money from the bank saying is for tax. They not better than us anyway.