To mark the Day of the African Child, we would like to present a successful example of helping people to help themselves.
With a total population of 52.5 million inhabitants (as of July 2016), Tanzania has an illiteracy rate of almost 30%, i.e. 5.1 million women and 3.5 million men over the age of 15 cannot read or write!
In comparison, 22% of the population in Kenya and 23% of the population in Cambodia over the age of 15 cannot read or write.
Since 2015, Tanzania has had a hotel management school, which is run by a dear friend.
Project idea
Empowerment of young, destitute women: From poverty to economic and social independence.
Vocational training is a successful tool for financial independence. In Tanzania, access to the already inadequate educational opportunities for young women from the lowest social strata is extremely difficult. As a result, they are often denied access to the labor market and thus to financial independence. Very often they are married off early and their children are born into a negative spiral.
On the other hand, tourism is growing in Moshi (the starting point for climbing Kilimandjaro) and there is a growing demand for qualified workers in the hotel industry. The hotel vocational school of the More-Than-A-Drop-Foundation substantially increases the vocational training opportunities in Moshi.
This hotel management school also runs a bed & breakfast, which is highly recommended as it is run with great attention to detail and also has a small vegetarian restaurant.
Implementation
Founded in 2015, the school gives a maximum of 35 girls aged between 18 and 21 from the poorest backgrounds the opportunity to attend a 12-month vocational training course. This training gives motivated girls from slums and rural areas access to the job market.
The first year started in July 2015 and the following subjects are taught
- English (12 hours per week)
- Cooking and service (15 hours per week)
- Housekeeping (10 hours per week)
- Sport – gardening (5 hours per week)
- Soft skills (personal responsibility, self-control, motivation)
In addition, the students can immediately put their theoretical knowledge into practice in the integrated Bed & Breakfast with 10 rooms and a restaurant for 30 guests.
Training concept
“Encouragement through challenge” is the motto of the concept and is consistently implemented with clear and close supervision. Discipline, motivation and personal responsibility are demanded, which is a great challenge for the pupils, especially when you consider that
- none of the pupils have completed elementary school.
- the last time they attended school was three to six years ago.
- the students have never learned to learn.
- the pupils have never had to do homework.
Graduating class 2016
The first graduation ceremony took place in September 2016. 30 schoolgirls successfully completed their training. Of these, 25 were successfully placed and were able to start their jobs and 5 girls submitted job applications.
More Than A Drop is looking for volunteers
Volunteers are needed for this exciting and inspiring project. The ambitious goals include the economic independence of the project and the placement of as many schoolgirls as possible.
Volunteers are needed to help achieve these ambitious goals for the following activities
- Coordination Switzerland
- PR
- Recruitment of volunteers
- Donation generation
- Social media specialist for marketing the rooms and the restaurant
- Trained chef/restaurant expert for the expansion of the culinary offer.
Contact for volunteers
Nicola Spring (n.spring@morethanadrop.org)
