Government’s approach to poverty alleviation through empowering the underprivileged has witnessed challenges being turned into opportunities.
One such program that achieves this vision is called the Graduation Program. It empowers single mothers under social welfare assistance to be trained and geared into income generating activities.
Mrs Baullutra Rao Kasaitar of Varadoli, Ba is a single mother who has been assisted by the Department of Social Welfare last year to start a cafeteria in Ba.
With tears of joy, Mrs Kasaitar shared her story on how this government assistance has transformed her life from being a casual house girl to venture into catering business.
“I worked as a house girl for three years and was able to earn $30 per week, I was also dependent on monthly social welfare allowance to support my life,” she said.
“When my husband died I had nowhere to go and this was when social welfare assisted me to support my son’s education. Though I struggled to support my child, I had faith that one day I would have a business of my own. Little did I know that in the midst of all my challenges, my dream was just about to come true.”
According to Mrs Kasaitar in 2010 she had the opportunity to attend a business training that was arranged by the social welfare office in Ba. Her cafeteria is located near Ba Town Council building.
“I attended the Start your Own Business training, it was there that I got the confidence to fulfil my dream,” Mrs Kasaitar said.
“Following this training, I received financial assistance from social welfare to buy food items and start my cafeteria. I am able to earn about $80 to $100 per week and this income helps me to support my household expenses, meet the educational needs of my son and continue to invest into my business.”
Mrs Kasaitar thanked the department for changing her life and fulfilling her long awaited dream.
“I am grateful to the ministry for helping me with this business, I am confident that I can expand my business, I have regular customers from the nearby hospital, civil servants and town council staff and I also do catering for private functions,” house girl cum business woman said.
“I have also hired one lady to help me run this business and I pay her wages. This project has enabled me to become independent and hope for a brighter future.”
The Department of for Social Welfare director Rupeni Fatiaki said Mrs Kasaitar was one of the many single mothers’ who had been economically empowered to live independent lives.
“The department works together with (NCSMED) National Center for Small & Micro Enterprises Development to train and assist the able-bodied social welfare recipients to venture into income generating programs and break free from dependency syndrome,” Mr Fatiaki said.
“The ministry continues to monitor the projects to ensure its sustainability and similar opportunities will be provided to other single mothers assisted under the Ministry’s Care and Protection Program.”
Under the Welfare Graduation Program once recipients are able to sustain their business and support their livelihood they are weaned off from social welfare assistance.
The 2013 budgetary allocation for the Welfare Graduation Program is $500,000.
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