Implementation of the National Development and Social Inclusion Strategy “Include to Grow” support program will allow Peru to close poverty gaps in poorest Amazonian communities, Peru's Development and Social Inclusion Minister Cayetana Aljovin affirmed.
The Social Inclusion Head added the program also serves to continue promoting children and adolescents schooling in Amazon regions (Amazonas, Loreto, San Martin, Ucayali and Junin).
"We are aware that breaking the poverty transmission circle is very hard if they don't graduate from high school. That's the point in a program such as the one joining us today," she pointed out.
The government official stressed the need to work on Amazon regions due to high chronic malnutrition and anemia rates. Likewise, the policies are part of the current government's commitment to work for the country's poorest Amazonian areas.
The European Union has released the first tranche of the agreement (€12 million).
The ceremony was also attended by Economy and Finance Minister Alfredo Thorne and EU Ambassador to Peru Irene Horejs, who underscored the bloc's long-standing commitment to Peru's social inclusion policy.
"I am confident Peru and the government will be highly successful in their social inclusion pursuit," the EU delegation Head assured.
Aforementioned European Union contribution will be implemented through financial incentives to attainment of results stipulated in the Strategy.
These include comprehensive health coverage for children under 5 years old, timely access to early childhood education for 3-year-olds, access to chlorinated water and teenagers' permanence in school.
(END) JCR/MAO/DHT/MVB