DOLE Grants Livelihood Starter Kits for AVRC Graduates

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in Region 7 recently received livelihood starter kits from the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Integrated Livelihood Program (ILP) amounting to P243,292.50 for the 26 visually and orthopedically impaired graduates of the Area Vocational Rehabilitation Center (AVRC) II skills training.

ILP is a capacity-building assistance for the livelihood of individuals or group livelihood projects of the vulnerable and indigent workers.

Labor and Employment Officer Fernando S. Lopez and Administrative Assistant IV Erwin A. Demiar of DOLE-7 led the turnover and distribution of the livelihood starter kits to AVRC II graduates of the following courses; Massage Therapy, Sewing Craft, Commercial Arts and Craft, Computer Technology, Consumer Electronics, and Commercial Cooking and Basic.

Graeme Ferdinand Armecin, head of AVRC II, expressed appreciation on this provision of tools, supplies and materials to the 26 Persons with Disability (PWD) graduates of the center through the ILP in collaboration with the Helping Hands Organization of PWDs Inc. which is an accredited co-partner of DOLE and a self-help group organized by AVRC II.

“The continued partnership of DOLE-7, DSWD-7 and the Helping Hands Organization of PWDs Inc., manifests how the government and the private people’s organization is supporting and preparing PWDs to be economically productive,” said Armecin.

Said effort aims to promote livelihood and entrepreneurship among the marginalized sectors in the community that includes the PWD and reduce the impact of poverty to generate employment through actual practice of acquired skills and use of livelihood starter kits.

It is a one-time assistance for this group of graduates who were identified as beneficiaries of the ILP.

However, proposals from Partner-People’s Organizations such as the helping Hands Organization of PWDs Inc. for the provision of financial assistance for starter kits to another group of AVRC II graduates will still be accommodated. (jsme/PIA7-Cebu/DSWD-7)