MALAWI: Catholic Development Commission Supports Vulnerable Groups with Technical Vocational and Entrepreneurial Skills
Stella Zulu Kaferapanjira
The Catholic Development Commission (CADECOM) has been commended for training and mentoring women, vulnerable youths’ vulnerable groups with vocational and entrepreneurial education which has led to improved social economic life of the empowered individuals and more skilled artisans and technicians in the country.
This was said by the Secretary General of the Episcopal Conference of Malawi (ECM) at the end of project report validation workshop of the ‘Hope for the Youth’ project at Msamba Pastoral Centre in the Archdiocese of Lilongwe.
The project’s core objective was to strengthen and increase access to both formal and informal vocational education through training facilities and systems under Malawi’s Technical, Entrepreneurial and Vocational Education (TEVET), thereby helping women and youths reach their full potential
According to Fr Saindi’s statement, the ‘Hope for the Youth Project, a three-year project which started on 1st January 2017 and officially ended on 30th April 2020 has trained and mentored 2,400 vulnerable youths within the age group of 18 to 35 with skills in brick laying, carpentry and joinery, electrical installation, plumbing, welding and fabrication in five target technical colleges.
He further said the project has made great impact in the country which will contribute to the achievement of development goals as set by government. Among other things, the project has led to improved livelihoods for those who attended the courses, enhanced skilled labour, capacity building of staff members in pedagogical studies at Domasi College of Education and placement of teachers for skills building in various industrial companies.
CADECOM was implementing the project in partnership with the Scottish Catholic International Aid Fund (SCIAF) with funding from the European Union in five Catholic technical colleges namely Andiamo Education Institute in Balaka, Mangochi Diocese; Namitete Technical College Lilongwe Archdiocese; Namitembo Technical School and Thondwe Village Polytechnic, Zomba Diocese; and Mitengo Technical College in Thyolo, Blantyre Archdiocese.
