By Vincent Gunde
A Local Non-Governmental Organization (NGO)-There is Hope (TIH) says it has been expanding its Vocational Training School activities at the Dzaleka Refugee Camp in Dowa district under the Skills Up! Projects, being implemented in coordination with Welthungerhilfe (WHH).
The phase one of the project targeting 285 youth from 15-35 years within Dowa district kickstarted in February 2023 and completed in July 2024 through their technical and vocational school training in Bricklaying, Plumbing, Carpentry and Joinery, fabrication and Welding, Tailoring and Fashion designing, Solar installation and maintenance.
Through the Skill Up! Project, TIH has expanded its activities to other programs such as Entrepreneurship, Life Skills and Digital skills, Digital Literacy, Business incubation and Mentorship program, Students Attachments and provision of start-up kits to 288 participants 165 Malawians and 123 refugees in the first phase.
Updating the District executive committee (Dec) in Dowa, There is Hope’s Communication Coordinator Madalitso Mvula, said TIH has is now implementing Phase 2 of the Skill Up! Project from October 2024 until 2027, with a vision to see to it that there is sustainable livelihood through self-reliance and economic well-being for refugees and host communities in designated areas in Malawi.
Mvula said TIH has a mission of dedicated to unlocking potential by providing refugees and their host communities with access to opportunities for education, artisan skills and spiritual well-being to foster a robust foundation for self-reliance, dignity, and shared harmony.
He said the project will cover programs such as Entrepreneurship, business incubation, life skills, digital literacy and business mentorship. He said project Skill Up is targeting youth from all the eight traditional authorities of Dowa district.
The officer said the project will link participants to potential employers and business owners, provision of scholarships and work-suits to 66 vulnerable girls, and tree planting exercise responding to the environment, among other expanded activities.
However, Mvula said the project is learned some lessons from phase one in the course of implementation such as business owners concerned over the risk of having their workshop materials damaged, business owners preferred to take on board formal TVET participants for internships, and insufficient computers during the training.
“There’s communication gaps between some graduates, the officers and business owners, lack of observation or assessment tools for business owners and lack of standardized assessment tools to evaluate soft skills (communication, team work and adaptation,” he said.
Mvula said Skill up! Phase 2 will end on 30th September, 2027 with a funding volume of 699,930 Euros which is approximately K1,268,973,090 expanding activities to post training support, entrepreneurship, business, capacity building and monitorin
