Don Bosco Tech Africa provides training for Salesian technical and vocational center managers

(MissionNewswire) Don Bosco Tech Africa in partnership with the International Labour Organization’s International Training Center (ITC-ILO) organized a training for Salesian technical and vocational center managers. The management training brought together administrators from west and central Africa and Madagascar. The German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development supported this training through Don Bosco Mondo in Bonn.

The main goal of the training was to equip managers with skills and competencies to manage centers effectively and efficiently. They were also trained to provide similar training to managers in their home locations. Participants took part in different training methodologies, including role playing, group discussions and interviews, among others.

The ITC-ILO team, led by Stephano Merante, expressed gratitude to the participants for their active involvement during the sessions. Merante urged participants to use the skills and competencies gained to transform Don Bosco centers in Africa.

Don Bosco Tech Africa is the coordinating body for the Don Bosco technical and vocational schools in the Africa region. The organization coordinates about 110 centers spread over 34 countries. Salesians aim to empower centers so that they can deliver demand-driven and quality training to the marginalized and at-risk youth who gain employable skills through the centers. Don Bosco Tech Africa has trained 63 Salesian technical and vocation center management and staff as part of the Trainers-of-Trainers program.

“Salesian technical and vocational education centers help youth gain the skills for employment,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Educators and administrators need ongoing education to help them improve their skills and keep up-to-date with new information in the field.”

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 extreme 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 live in slums and 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.

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Sources:

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

ANS – Kenya – Empowering Salesian TVET Centre Managers

Don Bosco Tech Africa

International Labour Organization

Salesian Missions – Kenya

World Bank – Kenya