Huge grant given to poverty charity

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A VALE charity has expressed its delight after being handed almost £500,000 to help transform people's lives in a poverty-stricken part of the world.

APT Action On Poverty, based in Cropthorne, has been supported by the Big Lottery Fund with £472,754 to help the charity's four-year project to change the lives of disabled people living in Eastern Sri Lanka who are recovering from civil conflict.

The charity has been working on projects in Africa and South East Asia to help some of the world's most vulnerable people since being launched back in 1984.

And the huge sum of money provided will help more than 2,000 disabled people face less discrimination and give them more opportunity to participate in more activities, get them on the working ladder and help them become more productive citizens in the process.

The project will include family counselling, community awareness raising programmes and workshops, learning vital skills for self employment and counselling and support once employment is underway.

These activities will be implemented by local staff working with the charity's Sri Lankan partner and technical support from APT’s specialists.

Elizabeth Chard, fund-raising and administration officer at APT said: "Our small team here at APT are absolutely delighted to have been awarded this grant as it enables us to help more poor and vulnerable people to break free from poverty and look forward to the future.

"Disabled people face discrimination and exclusion across all aspects of their lives and this project will give them the skills to have a livelihood, earn an income and address discriminatory attitudes of employers and society as a whole.

"In this way disable people will become included in services and community life and be able to look forward to a better future," she added.

For more information about the charity visit their website at www.aptuk.org.uk or call 01386 861294.

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