The Ministry of Youth Development and Sports (JOS) has started paying young people who participated in the Holiday Employment Project and the Krin Kondre campaign.
Participants from Saramacca, Coronie, Nickerie and part of Paramaribo received their compensation on Monday, September 28. The ministry aims to complete the payments on Wednesday, so that the young people can buy school supplies before the start of the school year.
According to Minister Lalinie Gopal, the participants gained work experience during their holidays and contributed to their surroundings. She says she has received mainly positive responses from the young people. Several participants said they want to spend their compensation on school supplies; others want to use part of it for themselves.
District Commissioner Aniel Ramautar of Saramacca looks back on the project with satisfaction. According to him, the young people learned how they can contribute to a clean district and also acquired other skills. He hopes the project will continue next year and calls on residents to dispose of their own waste.
The young people describe the work as educational, although some found getting up early tiring. They say they learned discipline, among other things, and made new contacts.
Gopal reports that fifty young people with disabilities also participated in the project this year. The ministry will still evaluate its implementation to identify areas for improvement for a next edition.
