Don Bosco Boys Town Vocational Training Center graduates 117 young men

(MissionNewswire) Don Bosco Boys Town Vocational Training Center, located in Nairobi, Kenya, recently held a graduation for 117 young men who are ready to find long-term employment with the skills they learned. The graduation began with Catholic Mass celebrated by Father Simon Asira, superior of the Salesian Vice-Province of East Africa. The guest of honor was Praveen Eazhawa, national director for vocational training and skills development.

In a speech at the graduation, Eazhawa presented various programs that many youth were not aware of and urged them to take advantage of all the opportunities offered by the government for young entrepreneurs.

“Don Bosco Boys Town provides education and technical skills training to former street children,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Students who complete their primary education are then assisted with secondary education or are advised to choose technical training. This enables them to learn the skills for long-term stable employment and is a path to self-sufficiency.”

The two-year technical training provides youth with a wide variety of skills training programs to choose from, including automotive mechanics, carpentry, masonry, plumbing, electricity, solar energy and refrigeration, cosmetology, tailoring, welding, and fabrication. After graduation, more than 80 percent of graduates are employed in their fields of study. Many students go on to attend university or establish their own businesses and become entrepreneurs in Nairobi.

According to the World Bank, more than 7.8 million people in Kenya are living in extreme poverty, with the majority in rural areas. There are approximately 6.6 million people living on less than $1.90 a day in rural regions, while 1.1 million extremely poor people live in urban areas. Overall, the poverty incidence declined in recent years, but at a lower rate in urban areas than rural ones.

Youth living in Kenya’s larger cities like Nairobi are at risk for exploitation, forced labor and other abuses. Few attend the later stages of school as compared to those living in Kenya’s more rural areas. The few schools serving this disadvantaged community are beyond the financial means of most families.

###

Sources:

ANS Photo (usage permissions and guidelines must be requested from ANS)

ANS – Kenya – 117 students of “Don Bosco Boys’ Town” Vocational Training Center graduated

Salesian Missions – Kenya

World Bank – Kenya