USAID Lebanon: From the American People
 

PRESS RELEASE

LEBANESE WITH DISABILITIES GAIN WORK SKILLS, OPPORTUNITIES THROUGH U.S.-FUNDED TRAINING

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Beirut, Lebanon

On May 26, 2010, the acting director of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) mission in Lebanon, Kimberly Delaney, honored more than twenty Lebanese citizens with disabilities on the completion of a vocational training and advocacy program for the inclusion of people with disabilities in Lebanon’s social and economic development.   USAID’s "Towards Inclusive Development in Lebanon" project provided over twenty people who have visual and physical disabilities training in English, computer literacy and communication skills.  Thirteen of these individuals moved into trainee positions with eleven USAID-supported projects.  Each of the trainees, in addition to gaining much needed work skills, helped to raise awareness of the need for organizations to reduce barriers for people with disabilities and expand their access to opportunities.

The $299,556 program was implemented by Mercy Corps in partnership with two local organizations: the Youth Association for the Blind (YAB) and the Lebanese Physically Handicapped Union (LPHU).  Speaking at the event, Ms. Delaney emphasized the importance of including persons with disabilities in all job opportunities:  “Experience has shown us that while persons with disabilities face many challenges breaking into a workforce, organizations benefit when they open their doors and help them in.  This is what we succeeded in helping achieve through our program... As we saw from the success of this project, the government and the public sector can achieve great things through cooperative efforts to enhance the living standards of citizens with disabilities."