Above: Kingston (CJ Photo)

By the Caribbean Journal staff

The Inter-American Development Bank has approved a $30 million loan to support social protection programmes in Jamaica.

The funding will target beneficiaries of the Programme of Advancement through Health and Education (PATH) and the School Feeding Programme. They include children up to 18 years of age, pregnant and lactating women and adult members of PATH beneficiary households.

One of the components will finance “conditional grants” from $750 to $1,265 per month to eligible children and pregnant women. Beneficiaries have to comply with a series of “co-responsibilities” dealing with a number of clinic visits per year and school attendance.

Another component will support parent education workshops for households. Others include supporting parenting education workshops for certain households, improving labour market outcomes and the modernization of the School Feeding Programme.

The loan is for a 25-year term.