The expansion of the Productive Inclusion Program (PI) is not just a public policy; it is a vision of the future for Cape Verde. A future where all families will have the tools and means to prosper, where social security will protect the most vulnerable, and municipalities will be the main agents of transformation, said the Minister of State, Family, Inclusion and Social Development, Fernando Elísio Freire, during his speech at the opening session of the National Workshop on the Expansion of the Productive Inclusion Program (PI) to 22 municipalities, held on Wednesday, September 25, in the city of Praia.
“We are witnessing a great moment, in which following the Pilot Project of the PI Program and due to its good acceptance and good results, the expansion of the PI Program to the 22 municipalities of our archipelago” reinforced the minister.
For his part, the Coordinator of the Special Projects Management Unit, Nuno Gomes, described the workshop as an opportune moment to take stock of the first year of the program’s implementation and gather suggestions for improving and consolidating its expansion. “This workshop will generate guidelines for continuing the project and the government’s goal of eradicating extreme poverty by 2026,” he said.
Representing the World Bank Group in Cape Verde, Laura Bermeo, highlighted the relevance of the Social Inclusion Program, pointing to it as an essential measure that offers vital tools and knowledge. According to Bermeo, “this moment of sharing is an opportunity for participants to create joint actions and exchange experiences, which will allow us to accelerate the activities underway.”
Finally, Herménio Fernandes, President of the National Association of Cape Verdean Municipalities, praised the results achieved in the pilot phase of the Productive Inclusion Program as satisfactory. “In the municipalities where the project has been implemented, we can see the importance and the positive changes it has brought to people’s lives. This demonstrates the government’s clear commitment to eliminating poverty in Cape Verde”, concluded Fernandes.