– welcome opportunity for development
The Government has come in for high praise from Community Support Officers (CSOs) in several Amerindian villages for restarting the program.
The Government reintroduced the program soon after taking office in August 2020, and to date, 2, 000 persons have benefited.
These persons are from Regions One, Seven, Eight, and Nine.
Speaking with DPI, 30-year-old Ms. Felecia Roberts, a Yupukari CSO said the programme enabled her to provide for the family.
“I was not doing anything in the community but farming and trying my best to help my children who are going to school, I was worried about how I was going to support my son going to school, but now I have the opportunity to [do so] as a CSO.”
Ms. Roberts said the programme has also allowed her to experience and learn new things, all while serving her community.
“I am very thankful to this Government for being in power now because the previous Government did not give me this opportunity to work as a CSO,” she added.
Mr. Harold Dorrick, 23, Quatata CSO responsible for Sport and Agriculture, said he joined the program after being unemployed for some time.
Mr. Dorrick thanked the Government for restarting the programme.
He shared, “As we started, we have to begin to work with the village leader…and so in one year, I think that I would be a good leader of the future”.
Another Quatata CSO, 24-year-old Ms. Reenca Cornelius, said the programme helped to buttress her after plans to become a volunteer health worker in Region Seven fell through.
Ms. Cornelius said she hopes to be able to gain more training through the program to assist in the development of her community.
About the programme
In October 2020, the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs started training their CSOs in Information and Communication Technology (ICT).
They were selected from 46 communities for the wider CSO program under the Ministry’s Youth Entrepreneurship and Apprenticeship Programme.
The other 213 hinterland villages are expected to benefit later on this year from the training.
The CSO program forms part of the Government’s promise to youth growth, betterment, and backing of our Amerindian people.