This is an Enterprise Development Project for Blind People and /or Parents of Blind Children in Port Elizabeth. As Employment is a critical problem for Blind People & there is no other initiative of this kind in Port Elizabeth- this intervention is critical. The pilot phase has already secured international outlets for its sewed products. It equips parents with the practical, financial & entrepreneurial skills required to give them financial independence to care for their family's needs.
Employment is a critical problem for Blind People in Port Elizabeth, South Africa. This project will begin to address some of the problem. Blind Children's parents are - in the main - unemployed. This places blind children in a position where they observe their unemployed parents relying on the State for grants and hence a cycle of dependency is created. Blind children have additional costly special needs which are for example: Individual equipment, therapy, special educational needs.
This project will result in some blind children having parents who are working thus beginning to break the cycle of dependence! Parents of Blind Children and Blind Adults: are equipped with practical, financial and entrepreneurial skills through training and participation, they enjoy contracted employment & save for their blind children's special needs. They are able to properly manage finances improving their soci-economic standing benefiting their family & community.
The project will eventually become a self sustaining project. The project has a long term plan which will allow for more Parents of Blind Children and more Blind People to become employed in the Project and for different products to be made. Participants gain skills which can be used for self employment should the Participants so wish at a later stage. A Trust will hold part of the funds generated by the project, to assist in funding for the special / additional needs of Blind children.
This project has provided additional documentation in a PDF file (projdoc.pdf).
