By David Steiner | HANDS AROUND THE WORLD Executive Officer
The name 'Kaliyangile' refers to a wish to be a self-help centre, and during my visit this week, this aspect shone through to me. Whilst at first glance the training centre may retain an impression of a work in progress, the team there are enthusiastically pursuing a number of initiatives focussed on helping local very poor and disadvantaged young people to move on in their lives.
The tailoring has always attracted girls keen to learn, but now with the help of donated knitting machines, cotton jumpers as well as shirts and skirts for school uniforms are being produced for sale. And recently one of the ladies, an unemployed teacher, volunteered to start a literacy class for young mums who have dropped out of school. This has rapidly become very popular - 22 are now enrolled and there are requests from older ladies and children who for whatever reason have missed out on chunks of their education. An initiative borne out of wanting to help children with their school reading and homework, recognising the urgent need to uplift the next generation.
The vegetable garden, piggery, bee-keeping, dairy cattle and chickens being reared for meat, are doing well and have benefited hugely from the first good rainy season (now just drawing to its close) for almost 4 years.
Especially too I was impressed by Persis the dynamic and enthusiastic young manager who has lots of ideas which she is pursuing with the support of her team.
Self-help is not easy in a very poor community, and at HATW we are supporting a number of their initiatives to increase their viability, but essentially the centre is now substantially self-sustaining.
I very much hope they will be able to continue their efforts and benefit lots of young lives. Thank you for your support in the past – please help us to make a real difference and continue to help these young people.
By Chris Barrell | Project Coordinator
By Chris Barrell | Project Coordinator
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