Government of the Azores supports project to promote women's employability in Arrifes
The Regional Government, through the Regional Secretariat for Social Solidarity, will be the partner of "Verde Lima" project. This initiative intends to promote employability in agriculture and will be implemented in partnership with the Village Council of Arrifes.
Andreia Cardoso, who attended the presentation session this morning, highlighted the commitment of the Azorean Government to collaborate with similar initiatives. In this regard, she stressed that the proposed Regional Strategy to Combat Poverty and Social Exclusion reiterates "the importance of training for employability with special emphasis on women as well as on employment creation initiatives."
"The Azores have evolved a lot and have evolved a lot in the rate of female employability," the government official said, noting that "10 percentage points in 10 years means that there are many more women working and this is very important."
Promoted by "Crescer em Confiança" Association and co-financed by EDP Solidária - Social Inclusion 2017 Programme, the "Verde Lima" aims to provide training to 30 women in certified actions, both in the area of agricultural production and personal development. This will be a preparatory phase for the creation of an organic farming inclusion company with a niche market already identified and with strong potential.
"This is a project to which the Azorean Government is keen to become part," assured Andreia Cardoso, not only for its merit but also because it adds value to the actions developed by the Ponta Delgada Development and Social Cohesion Centre.
"The Government of the Azores has been reinforcing the relevance of territorial interventions for several years," said the government official. According to her, it has encouraged local-based initiatives, promoted socially innovative approaches and motivated various local actors towards the search for resources and endogenous solutions.
Andreia Cardoso recalled that this centre established a Community Development Centre in 2016, through a collaborative process between various public and local agents that have been working with the community of Arrifes.
In this context, she stated that these centres a privileged means for the implementation of territorial tools to fight against poverty. The Regional Secretary assured that all initiatives that contribute to this goal are and will continue to deserve the Regional Government's attention and support.
Thus, she clarified that the Azorean Government will contribute by providing human resources to ensure the training component, educational resources and other external services that might be necessary.
"It is fundamental to work towards the empowerment of women for work," concluded the Regional Secretary for Social Solidarity.