The course took place over eight Saturdays throughout the year.
The workshop was fully funded, thanks to a grant provided by the Australian Volunteers International (AVI)/Planet Wheeler Community Grants Scheme (CGS) to support Millennium Development Goal Three: Promote Gender Equality and Empower Women.
“I’ve learnt many things from the course, for example, the safety rules when working in the workshop and also how to use basic carpentry tools,” participant, Barbara Haru, said.
“The best part of the workshop was doing the vanishing and cutting timber.”
Chris Yarham, AVI volunteer and Head of Carpentry at DBTI, wanted to hold these workshops to provide the opportunity for girls to explore the possibility of studying carpentry in 2011.
“The industry is keen on having girls working in carpentry and hopefully this is the first step towards making that happen,” he said.
“I was really impressed with the work of all the girls and they should be happy with what they have achieved.”
During the presentation Mr Yarham spoke about it being a male dominated industry and how it can be very physical, but he stressed that women can definitely be carpenters.
Fr. Ambrose Pereira sdb, Rector of DBTI, congratulated the girls on completing this short Carpentry course.
“You have done something new and different. It has opened up new avenues for yourself and for other girls like you. Do your best and you will definitely shine out even in male dominated tasks,” he said.
During the course, the girls learnt how to make a coconut scrapper stool and wooden strainer.
Philippa Riimanu, participant and head of Life Skills at DBTI, summed it up best when she said that what men can do women can do.
AVI volunteers receive significant support from AusAID, the Australian Government’s overseas aid program.
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