The Vocational Skills and Development Organizations (VOSDO) with support from UNDP and funding from the kingdom of Netherlands on Tuesday graduated a total of 316 trainees, including 227 female graduates, at the Rumbek Vocational Training Center.
VOSDO executive director Daniel Ruben said the graduating trainees came from both the institution and the community and learned different life skills.
“We have skills training in automotive, carpentry and joinery, computer applications, solar installation, plumbing, food processing, and catering, hairdressing, milk processing, and animal husbandry,” Ruben said. “These beneficiaries are trained in these and this program was made possible with funding from the Kingdom of Netherlands and supported by UNDP and implemented by VOSDO.”
He said the graduates will benefit because they were given skills for self-employment and start-up kits so that they can set up their own businesses instead of going to raid cattle.
“Like those who graduated in hairdressing, we will give them equipment to open up a saloon and those who did animal husbandry will be given two goats to start up business,” Ruben said. “My message to the graduates is that they should put the skills they acquired into practice.”
The graduates who spoke to Radio Tamazuj said they were happy because they acquired skills that will change their lives for the better.
A graduate of value chain and value addition, Awut Panyon Akec, said she completed the three-month training and can now bake pastries.
“I learned many things because I have acquired skills and knowledge in making cakes, chapati, and other foods,” Akec said. “I am very happy that I am graduating because before this I was at home and knew nothing. I can now open my own business which can help me and my children.”
Majak Nhial, another graduate appreciated VOSDO and said his group trained in computer applications, solar and electric installations, and plumbing.
“We are really happy and we appreciate VOSDO which supported this vocational training center for 3 months,” Nhial said. “We have acquired knowledge and we will use it to benefit and help the community. We learned computer applications, solar and electric installations, plumbing, catering and hospitality, and carpentry.”
The Lakes State gender advisor, Alek Malaak Atem, who was the guest of honor and represented the state government, urged the graduates to make good use of their life skills to accelerate the development in the state.
“I want to tell the men that the world has changed and it is not like before when women remained under the trees. That was a reason many families had crises because only one hand cannot provide services for the family alone. Allow women to work and provide services to the family whenever they are given skills,” Atem said.
Source: Radio Tamazuj