Apprenticeship Schemes

new for 2023/24 - welding schemes

Some of the 20 plus students we are supporting on one of our apprenticeship schemes. Here doors and windows are being produced in Rukambura. We also support 10 students at Kivumu.

Find out more about our apprenticeship schemes below.

As our work in Rwanda continues to expand, we find new

areas where we might help people with additional skills.

Once taught, we very often find these skills are

transferable and although we have supported sewing

schemes for many years now, we have more recently

introduced carpentry and bee-keeping skills. This enables

largely the younger people to learn a trade and then sell

their goods throughout their local area to earn a living.

Self-sustainability is always our aim. To give a young

person a skill develops their sense of worth and value in

their community. It encourages them to want to stay put,

improve their neighbourhood and the lives of those around them, rather than travelling further afield to seek work.

Our sewing schemes have schools throughout the country, where mainly young girls come to learn a skill. The Trust funds trained seamstresses who teach 5 days a week on 12 month courses. The students are often those who have finished their basic education but whose parent/carers cannot afford to fund secondary education. This tuition leads them to job opportunities which may not otherwise be open to them.

Students who show great potential we support by

giving a sewing machine, materials and cottons upon

their graduation. Some have gone on to run their own

businesses with small shops or market stalls where

they produce items which are sold to the public, often

to order. We clearly see that this training gives a job

for life and enables that young person to improve their

status and stability for the future.

Our carpentry schemes attract mainly young men, but

not exclusively, and again a trainer will offer basic skills

learning to make wooden furniture, tools etc. We have

then been able to offer tool kits to some who wish to

progress further in this field.

It was at the suggestion of one of the carpentry

schools that we next looked at training bee-keepers, as

the students made some bee-hives to be used in the

community. We therefore supported a small number of

students to go for training, which now enables these

young people to produce honey, spin it and sell it on

local markets, giving them a livelihood. Those who

have been trained can then become trainers to others, and so our schemes replicate throughout various areas of the country.

A recent generous donation, which was earmarked for educational purposes, has enabled us to look at further vocational training and seek teachers in welding, plumbing and electrical areas. As Rwanda continues to grow and develop, such skills are much sought after. Whilst we have initial funding for these schemes, your donation towards these apprenticeship schemes will secure their future for many years to come, and allow further expansion into other skills areas in the future. It has always been the aim of The Goboka Rwanda Trust to support self-sustaining projects which can benefit whole communities, and we feel the skills offered on our apprenticeship schemes certainly ticks this box, and gives the youth of the country in particular an opportunity they might not otherwise get.

The card of sponsorship with which this leaflet is enclosed, will contribute to our growing number of schemes and on behalf of those who will receive this very valuable training, we would like to thank you, as this truly can change their lives. Thank you again for your support and if you would like to help sponsor an apprentice, please visit the shop.

graduation day

This video shows a graduation ceremony in Western Province where 32 carpentry and 27 sewing graduates received their awards.