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A total of 26 visually and orthopedically impaired graduates of skills training in the Area Vocational Rehabilitation Center (AVRC) II of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) – 7 have recently received livelihood starter kits amounting to Php 243,292.50 from the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) 7’s Integrated Livelihood Program.

Mr. Em Caniban (second from right), one of the visually impaired graduates of the DSWD-7’s AVRC II receives a livelihood starter kit from the DOLE Integrated and Livelihood Program with massage therapy tools and items inside.

The Integrated Livelihood Program of DOLE is a capacity-building assistance/grant for the livelihood of the vulnerable and indigent workers, either for individual or group livelihood projects.

Labor and Employment Officer Fernando S. Lopez and Administrative Assistant IV Erwin A. Demiar of DOLE-7 spearheaded the turnover and distribution of the 26 livelihood starter kits to AVRC II graduates of the courses Massage Therapy, Sewing Craft, Commercial Arts and Craft, Computer Technology, Consumer Electronics, Commercial Cooking and Basic Cosmetology to help them immediately start a livelihood activity.

Mr. Graeme Ferdinand Armecin, head of AVRC II, has expressed his appreciation on this provision of tools, supplies and materials to the 26 PWD graduates of the Center through the DOLE Integrated Livelihood Program 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 private people’s organization is supporting and preparing PWDs to be economically productive,” added Mr. Armecin.

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

This is a one-time assistance for this group of graduates who were identified as beneficiaries of the DOLE Integrated Livelihood Program but the proposals from Partner-People’s Organizations like 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. ###

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