Remember the new Job Creation project we shared recently, The Emmanuel Vocational-Technical School? This is a unique school in the Kibera slums of Nairobi, Kenya which will provide job training to many youth in the area. 180 new high school students that may not be in school now will receive vocational training and have their hopes realized.
The construction of the new Emmanuel Pre-School to replace the one that was burned last year has already been completed…
Lots of updates from our partners, Learn To Earn in South Africa…
From the Hermanus branch…
Give thanks for:
Eleven new students who have registered for the Home Management course.
The construction on the new Hermanus branch training facilities is going very well.
Needs:
Continued protection for the building crew at the site
Funding to enable us to complete the new building
Sibulele is a graduate of the Home Management course. She and her six siblings lost their mom recently.
Mpumi has health problems.
Amamkele has health problems.
Bulelwa is trying to get her business up and running.
From the Business Resource Centre…
Needs:
Timely completion of all contracts in Zakhele
All potential contracts that are in the pipeline still
All vacancies to be successfully filled.
The success of the Khayelitsha Festival (23-26 October) that we are taking part in.
All enterprise development initiatives that we are involved in.
Give thanks for:
Several large orders through Zakhele which will keep many unemployed people economically active. This is especially useful as the December holidays loom.
Vanessa’s baby boy is developing very well in her tummy.
From the Learn To Earn Head Office…
Needs:
Fundraising efforts for the balance of the funds for the Hermanus building construction and for the additional space at our Khayelitsha facility.
Our 20 year celebrations planning.
Our funding proposals that are being considered or worked on.
Give thanks for:
Successful applications for funding.
The growth and interest in our Association activities.
The faithfulness of staff, board members and volunteers in serving the organization.
The impact and change we have seen in the lives of our students and graduates.
The ongoing safety of all connected with the organization.
From the Khayelitsha branch…
Give thanks for:
Our first production training pilot course run for graduates of the sewing course as a stepping stone into the Business Resource Centre.
Our woodworking network partners who have been able to take all our students on work placement for 2 weeks once again.
Needs:
Graphic Design students waiting to hear about applications to tertiary institutions.
Employment opportunities for graduates as this has been quiet recently.
Help for students who have dropped out because of family illness, AIDS-related illnesses and one student who was in a car accident.
Background: The Emmanuel Technical-Vocational School is located in Kibera, a slum
in Nairobi, where there are over a million people living in an area just over 1 square mile. This area has also
been deeply affected by the horrific riots and violence following the January elections in Kenya. Most youth in Kibera are unemployed, and learning a skill is the way for them to get out of poverty. Many youth are dissatisfied and hopeless. In the beginning of the year these were the youth that were stirred up by the politicians, and much death and destruction occurred.
The Project: In partnership with The Outreach Foundation and the P.C.E.A. Emmanuel church in Kibera, African Leadership plans to construct a
vocational/technical school in Kibera beginning this fall 2008. The vocational/technical school would be
unique to any other school in the Kibera area and would provide job skills to the many disenchanted youth in Kibera in the following training areas:
electrical, computer, carpentry, catering/cooking, car mechanics, welding, tailoring, and accounting/bookkeeping. The scope of this project encompasses construction of a two-story building containing these 8 classrooms and office, and providing the furniture and equipment required to train approximately 120 students.
This school will allow them to find jobs and support their families. They will be productive members of Kibera. In one year we will have the capacity to train up to 180 members of the Kibera community. This will have a great immediate impact and impact for generations to come. After the project is completed and equipped, the church will run and sustain the project.
Are you a leader on your college campus…in your church…at your high school? Mocha Club is about to launch out a new initiative called Make Change that will equip YOU to activate your community by running a campaign to provide aid to millions suffering in Africa.
What is a campaign, you ask? It’s you using your VOICE and your LEADERSHIP to call others to come together and make change. You have the ability to engage your community to be a part of something bigger than themselves and make a huge difference! An initiative of African Leadership and the Mocha Club, a Make Change campaign is based on the premise that a little help goes a long way…and YOU have the power to influence your community to learn…to act…to give…to make change.
Just like in Mocha Club, you can decide on a specific project that gets you excited…like building clean water wells in Darfur, Sudan, or sending kids to school in the slums of Nairobi, Kenya, or supporting Child Mothers at the Village of Hope in Gulu, Uganda. As you continue to read and learn about the different areas of injustice all over Africa, try and notice what gets you the most fired up—that’s where your voice and your influence will be the most effective! Once you decide on the project area you think others would get excited about helping with, we can get you materials and resources to run a campaign – which can be one night, one week, one semester, or one year!
Mocha Club is all about creating community, connection, and a long-term commitment to give, while Make Change offers a short-term way for others to get involved by giving their time and their money through a campaign.
If this sounds like something you would want to be a part of, email us at makechange@mochaclub.org. And look for the launch of our site in the coming month.
It’s time to Make Change for our friends in Africa.
MC Director, Barrett Ward, recently visited with our friends with the HEKKO (Heritage Kenya) Group in Kibera, Kenya. Several of them shared with Barrett what it’s like to live with HIV/AIDS in their part of Africa. Because of you, we are able to help this group of people by providing micro-loans so they can start their own small businesses and provide for themselves and their families. Thank you!
