Seven persons with disabilities have secured employment through an initiative supported by the Ministry of Social and Urban Transformation, marking what advocates are calling a major milestone in advancing inclusion and economic opportunity in Antigua and Barbuda.
Bernard Warner, President of the Antigua and Barbuda Association of Persons with Disabilities (ABAPD), announced the achievement, describing it as the culmination of more than two decades of advocacy by the organisation for greater employment opportunities for persons with disabilities.
Soon after Minister of Social and Urban Transformation Hon. Rawdon Turner was elected to office, the ABAPD wrote to him requesting employment opportunities through his ministry. Turner subsequently lobbied Cabinet, which approved positions for eight persons with disabilities.
"We really want to thank Minister Turner for lobbying and pushing this for us," Warner said. "Cabinet approved for eight persons with disabilities to be gainfully employed."
Although the process took considerable time, seven individuals have since taken up employment, received back pay, and are now earning weekly salaries. One approved position remains unfilled.
"We're joyful to share this good work with the public. This is really something that we need to celebrate because the work of the ABAPD is not just about social media and edited posts. We have used a strategy of writing, meetings, and negotiations, and we have seen the benefit," Warner said.
The employees are engaged in a range of activities including seed propagation, landscaping, hydroponics, aquaponics, and horticulture therapy. The horticulture therapy programme — one of the ABAPD's flagship initiatives — promotes a soil and plant-based approach to therapy and rehabilitation. It encourages participation from elderly individuals and persons facing mobility challenges through gardening, wreath-making, and interaction with nature.
Warner noted the initiative also aligns with broader efforts to address food security and climate change, stressing that persons with disabilities must be equipped with the knowledge and skills to adapt and thrive.
"The government, through the ministry, has really given us a tool and an opportunity to get employment for these individuals so that they can fully realize their potential and contribute back to society through gainful employment," he said.
Looking ahead, Warner revealed that discussions are already underway with officials responsible for the Job Experience Programme to create additional opportunities for young people with disabilities. He also commended the Government of Antigua and Barbuda for its continued investment in persons with disabilities, which he said amounts to millions of dollars over the years.
One of the newly employed, Nevelyn Noel, expressed deep gratitude for the opportunity, noting she had been unemployed and faced significant hardships before securing the position.
"Most people, when they see someone with a disability, the first thing they look at is the part of our body that's different, but they don't realize we have the brain for it and we have the hands for it. All we need is work so we can provide for ourselves and our families," Noel said.
Noel described her workplace as a family environment and said the income has already made a tangible difference in her life, enabling her to purchase a refrigerator and meet other essential needs.
"I have a job, and that is the most important thing. I'm grateful to the association and especially to Bernard Warner and Minister Rawdon Turner because if it weren't for him, I'd still be home without work and without money," she said.
