175 Young Women Trained in Tailoring
DAPP Mikolongwe Vocational School has awarded Tailoring certificates to 175 young women who have successfully completed four months of training under the institution. Three graduation ceremonies took place in February at DAPP Teachers Training Colleges (TTC) of Chilangoma, Amalika, and Mzimba where 59, 60 and 56 trainees graduated respectively. Satelite training centres were established in the DAPP TTCs where Mikolongwe has extended its operations to reach out to more youth.
With funding support from Sympany of Holland, Mikolongwe Vocational School expanded its operations to equipping vulnerable girls from under privileged households surrounding the four DAPP TTCs with vocational and business management skills for socio-economic development.
Speaking during the certificate awarding and start up tools handover ceremony at DAPP Chilangoma TTC in Bantyre, the guest of honor, TEVET Authority Service Centre Manager for Southern Malawi Albert Wasiri said, as an authority, TEVETA understands the demand for skills that is existing among youth in Malawi.
“TEVETA is grateful for the role of complementarity by partners like Sympany and DAPP in the provision of TEVET skills to the deserving population like girls” he stressed.
The Principal for DAPP Mikolongwe Vocational School Augustus Kaliati said illiteracy and lack of entrepreneurship skills make girls vulnerable to social injustice and abuse as such it is DAPP Malawi’s hope to equip more young women with technical skills for them to contribute to the growth of this nation.
He called on the graduating students, who received sewing machines in trios (a group of three), to be well coordinated and take care of the starter packs in order to generate funds that will enable each of the members own a sewing machine.
Expressing her satisfaction on the day was one of the graduates Chikondi Kasauka who looks forward to establishing a business with the members of her trio and as well to train her fellow women with the skills she has acquired.
The training program runs for four months targeting young women between the age of 18 to 24 who are vulnerable in their communities due to school drop outs, early marriages or orphanage.
Among the activities on this day were displays of the products made by the students, drama, music, dances and poems.
