100 people graduate with vocational skills

At least 100 women and men have graduated with vocational skills after training in the fields of Beauty Therapy, Driving, Electrical Installations, Masonry [brick laying], and Plumbing.

The six-month training was conducted by the Daughters of Mary Immaculate (DMI).

Speaking during the graduation ceremony yesterday at the DMI premises in Gureyi, Minister of Labour James Hoth Mai, who was the chief guest lauded the initiative saying graduates from the vocational training centers always boost self-employment.

James said the government has embarked on the training of thousands of youth in vocational training to reduce the unemployment rate in the country.

 He said they launched the colleges of vocational training in Juba, Torit, and Wau and that they were all functional.

“You will never sit without a job. Don’t hide your certificate in the house, go and look for a job because there are jobs out there waiting for people,” Hoth told the graduates.

Ambassador of India to South Sudan Vishnu Kumar Sharma said the training of the youth was timely and in line with the implementation of the peace agreement adding that this will give more opportunities to the young people to get or create jobs.

“South Sudan requires nationals in health experts and scientists as well as the technical work to meet the target of the nation and peace is needed for South Sudan to develop,” Amb. Kumar said.

He disclosed that the Indian government has 240 slots for young South Sudanese for vocational training in India under the Government of India scholarship.

There are more than 900 young people who have completed vocational training in India.  

The Country Director for Daughters of Mary Immaculate Rev. Sr. Jenny Maila said the training is aimed at changing change the lives of the young people in South Sudan so that they can be able to get their income instead of depending on their parents.

She said in the last five years they had trained 700 young people and 50 teachers whom she said were currently teaching in different primary schools across the country.

DMI also reached out to over 10,000 women and young women by training them on modern farming including crop and animal production.

Clement Wani, one of the graduates in Electrical Installations, said he just needs capital to buy the tools needed for wiring and power installation so that he can start earning money.

He said the skills he got would help him and the family to generate income.

More than 200 farming groups are being supported by the Daughters of Mary Immaculate in poultry, rabbit keeping, pig keeping, and goat rearing in Central Equatoria State.

The DMI has been empowering vulnerable farming communities and they are now able to produce their food, to take their children to school, according to Sr. Maila Country Director.