One of the many challenges Rural Training Centre (RTC) graduates face is the sustainability of skills and knowledge they have after the completion of their two-year skills training.
This was echoed by the Director of the Solomon Islands Association of Vocational Rural Training Centres ( SIAVRTC ) Billy Mae when he handed over a small grant scheme to the coordinator of Bareho Women floral sewing project at Bareho near Seghe in Marovo, Western Province and the Coordinator of Tawataha Graduates OBM Serving, Repair, and maintenance program in East Are’are.
“These small activities contribute to the development of our graduates to fully utilise their practical skills for the rural community developments and benefit and create an opportunity for our youths to remain out in our rural communities and utilise their skills to avoid been drifted over to our urban centres,” he said.
SIAVRTC director said that there is a need for local graduates to be empowered when they leave the schools with the skills they have to participate in the development of the rural sector whilst it is evident that some did find employment with the private sector in our urban setting.
Director Mae said that last week the SIAVRTC committee met and looked through all the applications sent and the first two projects were source as a result of the women involvement.
Therefore, SIAVRTC wants to empower women as a result of the skills they have.
SIAVRTC funds 10 graduate projects each year and this is from the graduate scheme SIAVRTC coordinates since the scheme was established back in 2009.
The Bareho women’s group is established at Bareho community near Seghe and they do floral, screen printing, sewing, and painting of billboards and banners for church groups and the communities.
Tawataha group does training on OBM engines, chainsaws,s and generators that are been sent over to their garage at Tawataha.
Both boys and girls have established the workshop garage to serve the communities in that region.
The support of the training equipment will set up both activities and the graduates have thanked SIAVRTC donor partner the foundation will that provides funds to empower RTC graduates.
This is the first-ever support they have received from an individual partner through SIAVRTC Office.
Floral and screen printing is becoming very popular and demanding and the women of Bareho community have been running and providing training for other women in the community.
The support will enable them to continue to have the skills and get on to do something that will sustain their livelihood.
Tawataha Graduates OBM servicing and repair maintenance group have established some years back after all the youths have graduated and decided to run an OBM workshop garage.
They do the servicing and maintenance of all OBM engines in the community and the female graduate that coordinates the group is pleased with the support of the new training equipment.
She said this will improve and develop the graduates and do quality outcome servicing for the community.
The two groups received the small grant scheme from the director of SIAVRTC Mr. Billy Mae last week and the director reported that they have 8 other graduate projects to be released.
They did a fair spread of the support benefiting the graduates all over the country.
Director Mae said the small empowerment grant scheme is from SBD$5000.00 to SBD$10,000.000 and they have established the partnership with SIAVRTC individual partner the late Geoffrey Bambford from Adelaide in Australia.
In 2014 he died and converted the scheme from his personal investments into a will and signed with SIAVRTC to empower RTC graduates in the country and Vanuatu through SIAVRTC Office in the country that coordinates the funding scheme under a working committee appointed by SIAVRTC.
SIAVRTC is the country implementing agency and coordinates the funding program in partnership with Adelaide foundation will.
Mr. Mae said each year the scheme supports 10 projects and they have been supporting local RTC graduates since 2009.
Up to now, they have spread the support all over the country as far as Temotu down to Shortland and Choiseul Province.
Director Billy said that the sector is the production sector and if the country would like to see the rural economy develops they need to invest in the RTC sector.
Their mission is to train the community to have skills and contributes to the building of the country’s economy with the utilsation of their skills and their resources.
Director Mae thanked the Adelaide Foundation Will for supporting SIAVRTC and their graduates and it’s up to 11 years since they have established the partnership with an individual partner.
Director Mae is appealing to the government to invest in the sector and set aside funds to empower RTC graduates.
Both Coordinators of Bareho Community and Tawataha Community have expressed their acknowledgment and a big word of thanks to Bambford Graduate in Adelaide for the support received as this will be very beneficial
SIAVRTC and Foundation will carry out their assessment and visit the projects each year to see the development and progress of the activity source under the late Bambford Foundation Will coordinated by SIAVRTC.
Director Mae is pleased with the empowerment of their graduates from an individual partner that has a big heart for youth in Solomon and Vanuatu.
– SIAVRTC Office Press
