by heather-cstars | Mar 27, 2017 | cosmetology, Liberia, manicure, pedicure, plaiting hair, Service Learning, stylist station
We are nearing the end of the second month of classes at our vocational training center. Our students are given ample opportunity to build their skills in their given field. Our instructors provide 80% of the students’ lessons as practical learning. This hands-on training happens in the classroom, out in the field for a contract, or part of community service project. Our goal is to help students gain marketable skills and teach them how to pay-it-forward with their training.
The next course we would like to introduce is Cosmetology. This is a nine-month course that offers young women the chance to learn how to work with hair (washing, cutting and styling), as well as other services like manicures, pedicures, etc. The instructor is Josephine Wabloh, who received her cosmetology certificate in Ghana. One of our students and assistant trainers of the Backpacks for Peace project, Roseline Sonday, is a teacher’s assistant for this course. She knows how to style hair and wants to learn other aspects of this trade.
Our talented team in Liberia built a stylist station for our students to practice working in a salon setting. They have hair to practice plaiting (which is a type of braid) that is draped over sting nailed to a wall. They also have one mannequin head, which is used to practice various types of protective styles. As part of their service learning, they provide free haircuts to children in the community.
The following photos show what our students are learning in this course:
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| Our students learning how to plait hair. |
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| This is the stylist station built by our team of Kelvin Fomba (UDS co-founder) and Daude (carpenter) |
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| These two students are learning to plait hair on this mannequin head. |
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| Our instructor, Josephine Wabloh (blue & white dress) gives each student attention as they learn this trade. |
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| Josephine shows a student how to plait hair while Roseline (white shirt & jeans) watches other students. |
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| Our students practice giving manicures to females enrolled in other courses. |
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| Our students giving free haircuts to children in the community. |
You, our valued Star Supporters, have made this vocational training center possible. Your generous giving inspires our students to pay-it-forward as they learn their desired trade. We Thank You for your continued and heartwarming support of children and youth in Liberia!
by heather-cstars | Feb 26, 2017 | Auto Mechanics, Computer Course, crochet, curriculum vitae, Interior Decoration course, Liberia, typing, youth development
It has been nearly a month since we started vocational training classes at the Uniting Distant Stars Training Center. We started with eight courses and hope to add two more once we get enough students enrolled. Our students receive a combination of theory and practical application in each course to help them better understand both the “why” and “how” in learning a particular trade. The goal of our program is to connect our students to employers for internships or apprenticeships so they can gain additional experience outside the classroom and showcase their abilities in hiring managers.
Two weeks ago we shared in our post “
See What’s Baking at Uniting Distant Stars” what the catering students were learning. Now we like to introduce you to three of our other courses:
Auto Mechanics, Computers, and
Interior Decorating.Auto Mechanics Course
This is one of our legacy courses that was birthed during the Ebola crisis when young people wanted to learn a skill instead of sitting home. Kelvin Fomba, UDS co-founder and country director, developed this course from his extensive career as an auto mechanic working with different types of engines. This course is 12 months long and
will provide ample opportunities for students to work with tools and complete service and repair jobs on vehicles, generators and other machinery. Two of the students are female which we have seen a gradual trend of young women entering this trade. Students who graduate from this course can either start their own business or seek employment from an existing garage. Our 2014/2015 students demonstrated their ability to find work as shared in our post, “
Meet UDS Auto Mechanic and Driver’s Ed Graduates“.
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| Auto Mechanics learning about the concepts and terminology for this field. |
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| The uniform shirt for Auto Mechanics is blue. |
Computer Course
Because of your inspiring generosity, we were able to fulfill the wishes of our youth in Liberia by
launching this course in 2016. Computer training is a highly sought-after course in Liberia. Young people see that learning how to operate a computer and navigate the internet means an increase in their marketability for future employment. Currently, we have 42 students enrolled in this nine-month course. We offer four classes with morning and afternoon classes that meet either Monday, Wednesday, Friday or Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday. The course is divided into five levels: 1) Introduction to computers and typing, 2) Microsoft Word, 3) Microsoft Excel, 4) Microsoft Power Point & Publisher, and 5) Internet Browsing & Review Previous 4 Levels.
Our students will learn how to write curriculum vitae, various letters, create presentations, and set up and use an email account.
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| Computer students from the Mon, Wed, Fri morning class taking a candid photo with Kelvin Fomba. |
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| Our computer students are practicing their typing skills. |
Interior Decorating Course
This is one of our newer courses. The demand for people with this skill is high. This nine-month course is similar to Interior Design for homes and businesses but it also entails multifaceted decorations for weddings, birthdays, graduations, and other special events. This course is taught by the same teachers, Mrs. Annie Cooper and Mrs. Sandi Akashi, as catering. Students will learn how to create flower arrangements, coordinate design of colors and themes for homes, businesses, and events, and much more. This is another field that will allow our graduates to create a business or find employment.
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| Students learning how to make flower arrangements. |
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| This young woman learned how to crochet this doll dress. She will use this skill to create table coverings. |
You, as our committed and generous donor, are giving young Liberians the opportunity to learn marketable skills that will change their lives to the better. Like vocational institutes in the U.S., we offer courses in fields that have a strong market demand, so our students can position themselves for employment and/or entrepreneurship. You should be overjoyed and proud of your service to young Liberians, because it is making a difference!
Thank you for being a highly valued Star Supporter for children & youth in Liberia!
by heather-cstars | Dec 25, 2016 | Liberia, Student Recruitment. student celebration
You are the reason for this season because you brought joy, hope and opportunities to young talent in Liberia. While you bring the light of inspiration, we experienced an electrical blackout for about three weeks in Liberia. A wire blew off a pole during a storm and $5 per from each household and business was needed to repair it.
With this being repaired, we have some photos to share with you about our recent student recruitment for the 2017 vocational training classes. Also, there are photos of our team prepping the building for our Christmas Celebration for our youth and volunteers on December 26. Please sit back and enjoy the photos of what you make possible in Liberia!
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| Young talent hand-inking T-Shirts for our volunteers for the student recruitment on November 19. |
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| As you can see great detail went into hand-inking each of the 60 T-shirts made for the volunteers. |
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| Interested youth have attended meetings about the vocational training classes in 2017. |
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| As you can see both young women and men have attended these meetings. |
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| The information meetings share what is expected by the students and also Uniting Distant Stars for the 2017 training. |
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| The students are required to take an entrance exam to be accepted for this upcoming training courses. |
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| You will be happy to hear 120 students have passed their entrance exam. |
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| Our team has been busy since Friday preparing the inside and outside of the center for our Christmas Celebration. |
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| They white washed the fence and steps. |
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| Kelvin Fomba, UDS Co-Founder & Country Director, using cutlass to cut the grass. |
You will be receiving photos, stories and much more from tomorrow’s Christmas Celebration. All of UDS volunteers in Liberia and the U.S. wish you all a very Happy Hannukkah, Merry Christmas and Holidays.
Thank you for being part of our amazing Star Supporters Community!!!
