Interest-Free Loans Rolled Out for Persons with Disabilities

A group of persons living with disabilities (PWDs) received interest-free loans of $500,000 from the government on Wednesday, under an initiative aimed at promoting economic independence and long-term sustainability. The programme is the result of a collaboration between the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security and the Small Business Bureau (SBB).

The financing incentive, launched in 2023, provides interest-free loans with no collateral requirements and is complemented by business and financial literacy training delivered through the ministry’s Disability Services Unit. The initiative is designed to support persons living with disabilities in starting or expanding small businesses while equipping them with the skills needed to succeed.

Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Dr Vindhya Persaud, said the programme goes beyond access to financing. “This is not only about providing financing to persons living with disabilities, but it is also a comprehensive pathway that prepares them to succeed,” she said. She congratulated the recipients and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to providing continuous support to persons living with disabilities.

However, questions have been raised about the scale of the programme relative to the size of the population it seeks to serve. By the end of 2025, only 59 persons nationwide are expected to benefit from the initiative, a figure that critics say falls far short when measured against the tens of thousands of persons living with disabilities across the country.

Available data highlight the disparity. A household survey conducted by the National Commission on Disability found that approximately 11,713 persons across several regions were living with various forms of disabilities. Broader national estimates point to a significantly higher figure. Guyana’s 2012 Population and Housing Census recorded about 48,419 persons, or roughly 6.4 percent of the population, as having some form of disability—a figure that has been widely referenced by government agencies and international development partners.

More recent government disclosures linked to social support programmes indicate that over 27,000 individuals are currently registered as persons living with disabilities, while international organisations and health-sector estimates place the figure at around 50,000 nationwide. Experts have pointed to persistent gaps in comprehensive and up-to-date disability data, noting that many persons with disabilities remain unregistered or uncounted, particularly in hinterland and marginalized communities.