Employment Agency 

We have received some great news this week from Abs Dumbuya out in Sierra Leone. One of Abs' original visions for the work he is invovled with out there was to have an employment agency for people with disabilities. Discrimination against people with a disability is rife in Sierra Leone and jobs are already very hard to come by and for those with a disability it is really hard to find work.

Abs has been working with the Dorothy Springer Trust to ensure that disabled young people receive a really good IT education which makes them very employable. However he has always wanted to get this employment agency up and running. And the great news is thanks to a grant from the British High Commission in Sierra Leone it going to happen. It is so exciting. Having journeyed with Abs for the last few years on his vision and dream, I know that this is a major step forward and will be a fantastic blessing to many of the poorest people in the world.

Sometimes it is very easy to be sceptical about the UK Governments Overseas Aid programme and we sometimes wonder if it makes a difference and if it is going to the right places. Well, here is a concrete example of what that Aid money can do.

Below is the full press release from the Dorothy Springer Trust.

God bless
Chris

The Dorothy Springer Trust’s establishes a recruitment bureau with support from British High Commission
 
The Dorothy Springer Trust of Sierra Leone, with the financial support of the British High Commission, is pleased to announce a new project designed to promote the prosperity of people with disability through the establishment of an Employment Bureau/Desk. The Dorothy Springer Trust (DST) specialises in delivering Information Communication Technology (ICT) training for people with a range of disabilities and has an excellent track record in supporting these trainees into real employment. With the generous backing of the British High Commission, the DST now wants to scale up DST training and employment creation scheme to enable persons with disabilities are able to support themselves, their families and contribute to national development through their taxes. When asked why this particular project is exciting, founder and CEO Dr. Abs Dumbuya said:

“The Agenda for Prosperity (A4P) for Sierra Leone outlines key aspirations for the country’s development. The new Sustainable Development Goals put people with disabilities right in the middle of this development. It should also be noted that, a core aspect of A4P is the determination to equip young people with the right skills and training to enable them to gain sustainable employment. DST has been doing all this for people with disabilities, so this is a natural progression in establishing an employment bureau that will provide comprehensive human resources by connecting job seekers with potential employers in Sierra Leone. To employers, I want to say hiring people with disabilities isn’t just the right thing to do - it’s good for business and hope we can work collaboratively towards improving not just your business culture but also your bottom line.”
 
The Deputy British High Commissioner, Paul McGrade, explains the reason for supporting DST on this project:
 
“This project will help support both Sierra Leone’s economy and its people. A more skilled workforce is key to encouraging private sector growth and jobs, one Sierra Leone’s recovery priorities. DST is a trusted partner that has worked closely with the British High Commission and has quickly developed a reputation for delivering high quality ICT Training. Through their admirable work they have developed lasting relationships with in the local business community.  Initially, the focus of the employment bureau will be to place people with disabilities, including those affected by Ebola and those injured in the civil war, into jobs. In the longer term the bureau will look to offer this service to the general public.”
 
DST invites suitably qualified Human Resources Officer to join us in this exciting new project to help develop, advice on, and implement policies relating to the establishment and effective operations of an Employment Bureau within the Dorothy Springer Trust. DST will run a pilot study involving training and placing initially 5 disabled people into employment as part of the project, after which, scheme will be opened up more widely to the public as part of our sustainability plan.