The movement towards greater inclusion of persons with disabilities is gaining momentum in Guyana, particularly in Region Six. With expanded access to education, training, and employment, many are experiencing new opportunities and a renewed sense of dignity.
At the opening of the Center for Equity, Opportunity, and Innovation in Palmyra, Chairman of the National Disabilities Council, Ganesh Singh, noted the transformative progress taking place across the country.
“We’ve seen more persons with disabilities employed across all sectors in the area, mainly within government,” Singh said. “In the past, someone could have called me and said, ‘I need 10 persons with a disability for a workshop,’ and I could have sent them with ease. Now, it’s a challenge—because there are so many opportunities for these individuals to attend instead.”
Singh credited this shift to the growth of accessible training and education programmes. He noted the increasing availability of virtual courses through institutions such as the Cyril Potter College of Education, and emphasised the significant impact of partnerships under the Board of Industrial Training (BIT).
More than 300 persons with disabilities have been trained over the past five years, and Singh commended the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security for its continued investment in vocational training for persons with disabilities.
“There are opportunities under the Ministry of Human Services for basic vocational training. More scholarships are available through the Government Online Academy of Learning. We also have more special education schools and resource units across the country. That means our children now have a real chance at an education—something that was just a dream a few years ago.”
In Region Six in particular, he said tangible results have been seen, noting the successful inclusion of over 40 persons with disabilities in the government’s temporary job scheme launched in 2022.
Currently, it is estimated that over 50,000 people in Guyana—approximately 6.4 per cent of the population—live with disabilities. Many continue to face challenges related to stigma, accessibility, and underreporting, particularly in rural and Indigenous communities.
Still, the developments in education, employment, and training are offering new hope. “The opportunities we’re seeing now were unimaginable a few years ago,” Singh noted.
The centre commissioned in Region Six on Wednesday will directly employ 120 persons with disabilities, providing not just jobs, but dignity, purpose, and the opportunity to contribute to the nation’s development in real, visible ways.
The government has been supportive of this community. It has provided a one-off cash grant to every person with a disability. Adults with disabilities have also received a $100,000 cash grant; each child with a disability already receives a $100,000 cash grant annually; and now, every person with a permanent disability qualifies for public assistance — this public assistance is now a lifetime benefit.
National Disabilities Council Chairman, Ganesh Singh
