People with motor skills handicaps are trained in lutherie

The entrepreneurial sector faces challenges to comply with the incorporation of the 5 percent of people with permanent handicaps despite de adjustments made after the entry into operations of the 2007 Law for people with handicaps, which seeks to guarantee the comprehensive development of this population. 

In that context, CAF, Development Bank of Latin America, the National System of Youth and Children Orchestras of Venezuela (Fesnojiv for its acronym in Spanish) and the Fundación Venezolana ProCura de la Parálisis (Funda ProCura) (Venezuelan Paralysis Foundation) joined efforts in 2010 in order to train 15 participants in the repair and manufacturing of musical instruments.  

The purpose of this initiative is to improve the generation of income for people with motor skills handicaps, inhabitants of popular areas and scarce resources in the Great Caracas area, trough training in luthery, giving them the opportunity to insert themselves in the labor market with the support of Fesnojiv.

Although in the beginning the number of registered people reached 15, three withdrew due to problems related with the vulnerabilities of their environment. However, to date 12 participants continue to receive training for their human, working, and cultural development in the facilities set up by Funda ProCura for the development of the luthery workshop.

Classes take place on a daily basis, and the duration of the program is of two years. The project is expected to expand to other countries in Latin America and to create a seed capital fund to support microenterprises that may emerge during the initiative. 

It is expected that training to microentrepreneurs will be carried out after the training in the workshops, and will be provided for those participants who during the training phase showed skills for enterprise management. The goal is that at least 50 percent of the participants may develop their own business projects, and to train a facilitator (luthier) to provide continuity to the program.