Carpentry Trade School
Aug 01, 2015
As many of you know, the completed Center of Hope plans include trade schools. We have decided to name our trade school, Trades of Hope. With this school going through the national certification process, we have had many government meetings.
These meetings are sometimes stressful because I am trying to explain a concept to someone that is so foreign to them. However, after multiple meetings and ongoing dialog, department of labor made remarks that our certifications may become a country standard when enough people are trained. They are delighted at the idea of a skilled Mozambican work force.
On March 2, we commenced our first Carpentry/Woodworking trade school. For three months, we had students from surrounding villages come to learn about wood, tools, how to work with it, measuring and marking techniques, etc.
Student criteria was: At least 17 years old, able to read and write and able to speak Portuguese. The cost of the school was approximately $250. For those who could not afford the tuition, they were given the opportunity to work three days a week in the Center of Hope to cover their tuition.
Throughout the course, they were taught with all manual tools that were purchased in a local market. They were taught how to develop a plan for a project and work through all of the various steps to bring the project to a successful completion. They worked on multiple small tasks and gradually worked their way to grand projects. Beginning with a basic tool box that would fit the tools they would receive on course completion, window frames, windows, door frames and doors preparation for installation was the final project.
Upon completion of the course, they have all of the basic skills for woodworking with manual tools as well as all of the safety instruction and practice with power tools as well.
A true sign of a successful completion of this first Carpentry school is that we have already been contacted by the country director for a housing development company that builds housing units for mining camps, with an interest in hiring our graduates.
We are also looking into assisting some of the graduates with a micro finance project to open their own woodworking business.
The window project we completed was quite a boon. After looking at wooden windows in the local marketplace (All imported in), we found the quality was very poor, the detail work was shoddy at best and they were almost $185 per window. After we purchased all of the materials and had them completely assembled, with gorgeous craftsmanship and beautiful detail, the cost for each of our windows was less than $75. When the students realized what they were now capable of doing, the value of these new skills became much greater.
We will keep you posted on the details and the progress.
Thank you for following our project and caring about the progress. We are blessed by you and thankful that you are continuing on with us.
Thank you for your continued prayers and support. If you are interested in learning more about our vision, specific details about this project, or have a desire to participate in some way, please email:molzeski@gmail.com or visit our website: www.ByTheWayInfo.com or connect with us on facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ByTheWayInfo/
As always, please remember to share the Hope!