Both will graduate from the KVO Technical and Vocational School in Gabra Guracha, 156 km west of Addis Ababa in six month’s time. Having registered in the department of dressmaking and tailoring, the two friends’ dream that their work will be displayed up there for the exhibition, like their seniors', on graduation day. “We are looking to gauge what the general impression is with the exhibition,” they said.
Mulleta and Regassa were not able to pursue their academic studies in higher learning institutions. So, they were left with the single hope of attending a technical and vocational school, nonetheless, they were unable to do that as their parents were unable to afford it. They say that their future was looking bleak when an organization called Korean Volunteers Organizations came along and brought the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) center to their village. They are here to realize what the future holds for them and ironically the future was right there in their hands; through TVET training. Nevertheless, TVET is not that big in Gabra Guracha; in fact, students joining such direction were generally taken as failures among the society. Today they are here to see if this attitude has changed.
“There was so much discouragement here that weakens us not to take up whatever field of work is available,” Tefera Tekalign, representative of the graduation class told The Reporter. Its youth, as in many of the other similar towns have been passing through a number of challenges that fate has brought to them. However, the attitude of the society seems to be one of the biggest problems that is setting them back and is depriving them of the opportunities that are in front of them; they say it has been a potential obstacles indeed. Likewise, in any other towns and villages in Ethiopia, education carries a lot of weight in the society's value system and of course, the standard is to go through higher education institutions. Nothing one does is ever good enough. As a result, the youth have been striving to get the grades that will allow them to be admitted in the public university system, the most prestigious higher education system in Ethiopia. Otherwise, it would be a disaster from their point of view.
“I had to walk to school (to the TVET center) hiding my books in my back. I had no confidence, so, I have hidden my education from my parents. As much as possible I have to hide my [misery]; the fact that I could not join the university,” Tefera says. As he embarks on a new day that has brightened his future, he feels that he is worth the opportunity. Graduated from the metal work department, Tefera has a lot of opportunities in front of him producing doors, windows and other materials on which are highly interlinked with the booming construction industry in the country. “It’s of course a very short time, it took me only a year to complete my studies. But change is big; really a big change indeed,” he says. With the help of KVO, he and his friends are feeling hope, self worth and honor. “To decide what we should focus on as KVO, first we conducted research and a sort of need assessment in the area.” Mikias Girma, Country director of KVO said.
The occasion that drew people from different walks of life was an ideal one to advertise the successes of the youth TVET graduates. Bulcha Robi, 55, and a town resident told The Reporter that this was the first event where such a work was celebrated, and the youth hands craftsmen came out of their shells to stand out and fight the negative attitude towards the locality. He remembered the time when he severely scolded his son when he was told that he (his son) was attending a vocational school.
“It was so unwise of me to do that since I drove him back to the academic field, something that obviously was not his strong suit.” he said. Learning from the past, he is calling upon the local public to be well aware of the advantages of vocational and technical skills. Alemayehu Ourgae, school headmaster, views the success of the youth as something that can inspire others to attend the vocational schools passing any hurdle in front of them.
The school that offers four trainings in its four departments, namely, Dress making, Metal works, Wood works and Information Technology (IT) has graduated 76 students as its first batch. And currently it has many on its waiting-to be-enrolled list. A well-equipped classroom where a number of products like prints made from genuine materials, discarded objects and lessons written on board are visible gives out the vibe of a sophisticated that seem to be existing in well organized institutions.
Fekadu Tulu, head of the province’s Technique and Vocational team, said that the zonal administration office has been facing challenges regarding youth unemployment, education and entrepreneurship. So, KVO TVET center is really an institution that is helping the society. He further appreciated the role that the organization has played to change the public misconception toward vocational trainings. “It has been the root cause of the problem that hindered many developmental activities from reaching the youth. Now it will inspire others and bring about a real change in attitude,” he says.
Apart from the training center, which is opening its doors to the future youth, the organization has also helped the rural community get solar powered electricity. “Over a thousand people in the village of Jilla Kellensa, 15 km away from the town, have electricity now,” Mikias says. According to him, the people used to live in inconvenient conditions and suffered from versatile health problems. The soot released by the traditional lamp was damaging to their sights and they were also unable to keep up with the sky-rocketing price of kerosene. Above all, the investment on the youth of Gabra Guracha is much louder than any other assistance that KVO throws the town's way. After all, the youth are the future of the society.
Mulleta and Regassa were not able to pursue their academic studies in higher learning institutions. So, they were left with the single hope of attending a technical and vocational school, nonetheless, they were unable to do that as their parents were unable to afford it. They say that their future was looking bleak when an organization called Korean Volunteers Organizations came along and brought the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) center to their village. They are here to realize what the future holds for them and ironically the future was right there in their hands; through TVET training. Nevertheless, TVET is not that big in Gabra Guracha; in fact, students joining such direction were generally taken as failures among the society. Today they are here to see if this attitude has changed.
“There was so much discouragement here that weakens us not to take up whatever field of work is available,” Tefera Tekalign, representative of the graduation class told The Reporter. Its youth, as in many of the other similar towns have been passing through a number of challenges that fate has brought to them. However, the attitude of the society seems to be one of the biggest problems that is setting them back and is depriving them of the opportunities that are in front of them; they say it has been a potential obstacles indeed. Likewise, in any other towns and villages in Ethiopia, education carries a lot of weight in the society's value system and of course, the standard is to go through higher education institutions. Nothing one does is ever good enough. As a result, the youth have been striving to get the grades that will allow them to be admitted in the public university system, the most prestigious higher education system in Ethiopia. Otherwise, it would be a disaster from their point of view.
“I had to walk to school (to the TVET center) hiding my books in my back. I had no confidence, so, I have hidden my education from my parents. As much as possible I have to hide my [misery]; the fact that I could not join the university,” Tefera says. As he embarks on a new day that has brightened his future, he feels that he is worth the opportunity. Graduated from the metal work department, Tefera has a lot of opportunities in front of him producing doors, windows and other materials on which are highly interlinked with the booming construction industry in the country. “It’s of course a very short time, it took me only a year to complete my studies. But change is big; really a big change indeed,” he says. With the help of KVO, he and his friends are feeling hope, self worth and honor. “To decide what we should focus on as KVO, first we conducted research and a sort of need assessment in the area.” Mikias Girma, Country director of KVO said.
The occasion that drew people from different walks of life was an ideal one to advertise the successes of the youth TVET graduates. Bulcha Robi, 55, and a town resident told The Reporter that this was the first event where such a work was celebrated, and the youth hands craftsmen came out of their shells to stand out and fight the negative attitude towards the locality. He remembered the time when he severely scolded his son when he was told that he (his son) was attending a vocational school.
“It was so unwise of me to do that since I drove him back to the academic field, something that obviously was not his strong suit.” he said. Learning from the past, he is calling upon the local public to be well aware of the advantages of vocational and technical skills. Alemayehu Ourgae, school headmaster, views the success of the youth as something that can inspire others to attend the vocational schools passing any hurdle in front of them.
The school that offers four trainings in its four departments, namely, Dress making, Metal works, Wood works and Information Technology (IT) has graduated 76 students as its first batch. And currently it has many on its waiting-to be-enrolled list. A well-equipped classroom where a number of products like prints made from genuine materials, discarded objects and lessons written on board are visible gives out the vibe of a sophisticated that seem to be existing in well organized institutions.
Fekadu Tulu, head of the province’s Technique and Vocational team, said that the zonal administration office has been facing challenges regarding youth unemployment, education and entrepreneurship. So, KVO TVET center is really an institution that is helping the society. He further appreciated the role that the organization has played to change the public misconception toward vocational trainings. “It has been the root cause of the problem that hindered many developmental activities from reaching the youth. Now it will inspire others and bring about a real change in attitude,” he says.
Apart from the training center, which is opening its doors to the future youth, the organization has also helped the rural community get solar powered electricity. “Over a thousand people in the village of Jilla Kellensa, 15 km away from the town, have electricity now,” Mikias says. According to him, the people used to live in inconvenient conditions and suffered from versatile health problems. The soot released by the traditional lamp was damaging to their sights and they were also unable to keep up with the sky-rocketing price of kerosene. Above all, the investment on the youth of Gabra Guracha is much louder than any other assistance that KVO throws the town's way. After all, the youth are the future of the society.
