In a bid to promote gender equality in the country, Don Bosco Fambul on Friday, 21st January, 2021, through their Home Plus project certified 240 girls in various skills training.
The award ceremony, which was held at the Don Bosco compound at Fourth Street in Freetown, brought together stakeholders from government, parents and guardians.
In his welcome address, Director of Don Bosco Fambul, Father Jorge Mario Crisafulli stated that the 240 female trainees are from different shelter home who have benefitted from a two-year skills training, including catering, hair dressing and tailoring and it is two year training.
He said many people think that Don Bosco Fambul works only with boys on the street and inmates at Correctional Centres, while only few know they are running a shelter for girls and young women who have experienced violence, such as rape.
Project Coordinator of Home plus Project, David Brima said the project targets 240 who received certificates on Friday.
He said the hope plus project was launched in July 2018, which their aims is to empowering vulnerable girls through two components formal education and skills training
He thanks the donor Mundo Cooperante and jugen ainvel, said the skills traning component has been able to place two hundred and forty beneficiaries in skills training institutions across Freetown,
He said they have been working with several institutions, Portee Vocational institution, Afromeric School of cosmetology, Useful hands Vocational Training institution, CEFORD, USE-US Vocational training Institution, Exclusive vocational training Institution and Jui- Vocational training Institution.
He added that out of the (240) girls that are graduating 58 trainees have secured jobs, (30) are from tailoring, (19) are from hairdressing and 9 are from catering, and 41 are currently completing three month probation in various placement areas
He said the grandaunts would each take home a start-up kit, which cost Le100 million, adding that some of them have already been employed.
“I am therefore appealing to the grandaunts to always come to Don Bosco as we are always ready to provide support for them whenever they need help. Since our beneficiaries have been in their different schools, our Social Workers have been visiting them to know how they were coping,” he said.
A representative from the Government, Commissioner Ngolo Tom Katta thanks the Don Bosco for the ‘Home Plus Project’ which has over the years help lot of young girls that are in the street
He called on the grandaunts to make good use of skills they had acquired as it would contribute greatly in transforming their lives, adding that lack of skills training has cause many women and girls to become drop-outs.
Katta showered praise on Don Bosco for their contribution to promoting gender equality in the country, and also called on them to provide employment for the beneficiaries.
