‘Mission inclusion’

Digicel Foundation, UNICEF keen on benefits for disabled children

INTEGRATING PERSONS with disabilities (PWDs), children in particular, into existing systems and having them benefit from present government mechanisms is the immediate objective of a twoyear $58 million synergy among Digicel Foundation, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the Jamaica Council for Persons with Disabilities (JCPD).

The private-public partnership aims to bolster efforts towards the implementation of the Disability Act, 2014 and the development of suitable policies that strengthen the inclusion of PWDs.

“The focus isn’t six months’ time to a year. There are current policies that just need to be inclusive so that our children may benefit from already available well-needed resources, e.g. the PATH (Programme for Advancement Through Health and Education) and NHT (National Housing Trust),” declared Dane Richardson, chief executive officer of Digicel Foundation, at the UNICEF Jamaica offices in New Kingston on Tuesday.

With Satistical Institute of Jamaica figures showing approximately 580,000 disabled persons in the country and only 30,000 on the JCPD registry, of which 5,000 are children, Richardson underscored the significance of upping registration figures and the financial aid for the medical assessment.

He added they had set a target of registering 1,000 children. Although they believe that figure to be realistic, they intend to exceed it.

“We’re eyeing the children who are most in need, and there is going to be a great rural focus where this is concerned.

By extension, adults will indirectly benefit from this initiative as we need to be able to identify these persons so we can better inform policies and our budget. [This] will better enable us to plug this huge gap,” Richardson said.

With Statistical Institute of Jamaica figures showing approximately 580,000 disabled persons in the country and only 30,000 on the JCPD registry, of which 5,000 are children.