Tackling youth unemployment in Rural Kilimanjaro
by Bumaco LTD on 01/27/14
Tackling youth unemployment in Rural Kilimanjaro
In implementing our RUFIP program in rural Kilimanjaro, one constant challenge has been inability to save. As we mobilize rural communities to establish and join SACCOS, we encourage people to save money in those societies so as they could borrow more and invest in economic activities. One big challenge has been the inability to save money due to lack of employment or income-generating activities. Thus, with the support from CORDAID Netherlands, BUMACO decided to go further and train youths so as to equip them with necessary skills for economic survival. (See the attached summary training document (under Services in this website)
Youth Training on Mountaineering skills (Porters/Prospective Guides)
We train youths on mountaineering skills as porters who will escort and assists tourists during mountain climbing.
The training kicked on in early December 2013. 39 youths from Narumu Ward in Hai were trained. 5 villages were covered including Usari, Orori, Mulama, Tela, and Lyamungo Sinde.
Among the 39 youths who graduated on 21st December 2013 14 of them have already climbed the mountain as porters. Registered tour companies in Moshi including Asante Tours and Tusker Trail contracted these 14 porters.
The lives of these youths are changing for the better. The effect is multiple trickling down to their families. We believe and see changes.
On 24th January 2014, another group of trainees graduated. This was a larger group composing of 125 youths. The increased number of trainees was a result of witnessing the benefits gained by the 39 youths who attended the first course. The training covered Machame North Ward and Machame South Ward. Villages covered were Nshara, Uduru, Wari, Foo, Kimashuku, and Mailisita.
Handicraft Training
5 people graduated on 24th January 2014 after two months of training on handicraft. These trainees are equipped with skills to make leather sandals with different-theme /multi colour coordinated decorations using beards.
The sandals that they made during training were on sale on the graduation day and more will be taken to the market (Souvenirs shops) in Moshi town.
BUMACO believes in empowering youths in rural areas through training. Skills are crucial for self-employment in the era where unemployment is a crisis. Dependency on small-scale agriculture is risky due to lack of land area in rural Kilimanjaro. There are many avenues for improving the lives of youths in Kilimanjaro, and the Mountain is still an untapped resource to many youths who lives in its slopes.
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