Welding skills brings Hope to youth in Rutana

In just 10 days, Gakiza Brice, 22, had gained enough skills to start earning money through welding. A year before, he had completed his secondary school. Being unemployed, he spent his time on alcohol and did nothing to earn a living.

“I had completed my secondary school, and had spent one year at home and found nothing to do to earn a living. I thought on how to initiate a startup but had no capital, but with the support from World Vision my dream came to life”, says Brice who was desperate.

World vision in Rutana supported the youth having one purpose, “equipping them with life skills so that they can take charge of themselves and of their families”, says Onesphore Niyongere, the project’s staff.

They were grouped in associations so that they could encourage each other. Project’s staff believed that when they work in association, they are able to quicken any task assigned to them. And this has started to work as Brice testifies.

Brice’s association has 20 members, of which 12 young boys and 8 girls. They work in rounds. For all of them, it was their first time to undergo a vocational training. The group is made of young people who had completed secondary school studies and the ones who had dropped out of school.

“In only, 5 months we have been able to save 700,000 BIF (approx. 400$), an amount gained out of small contracts we won in Rutana. Our goal is to expand our work in other places since we have enough kits. We also think of investing in other activities”, says Brice.

World vision that grouped them, offered them a 4-day initial training, and gave them a starting kit made of welding machines, grinders, rolls of electric wire that enabled them in their practical sessions and served as an initial capital.

On their side, they paid 15,000 BIF per day for 6 days so that they can enhance practical skills, something they able to achieve. “We paid as we were eager to know well the art”, the young boy says.

“The plan we have is  not keeping the skills for ourselves, we agreed with World Vision to train 10 new young people each year, so that we contribute in reducing rates of unemployment, as the rates keep growing”, Brice says.