Center Offers Job Training to Orphans/Vulnerable Children

BLANTYRE, Malawi — In 2005, PSI/Malawi’s Faith Communities Program established seven centers for orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) in Lirangwe and Mpemba close to Blantyre. These centers conduct vocational skills training in tailoring and carpentry for in and out-of-school OVCs aged 10-17, in combination with life skills and adolescent sexual and reproductive health education.

The skills they learn will help to ensure that they play more productive and effective roles in their communities, while helping them to protect themselves from contracting HIV/AIDS. To date, more then 120 OVCs have graduated from the program.

Steven Luwale was selected for six months of tailoring training at the Lirangwe OVC center. Steven says, “I was chosen because I was one of the most hardworking people among the youth in our church, who could successfully complete the training.” Steven graduated from the OVC tailoring course in March 2006 and is now gainfully employed at Chirimba Garment factory in Blantyre and is living an independent and productive life.

Without the tailoring training offered by this program, Steven says he most certainly would have fallen into high-risk and dangerous behaviors like many of his childhood friends who failed to complete their secondary education. “Many of my friends are into drugs and alcohol because they have nothing to do. I thank PSI/Malawi’s Faith Communities Program for starting the OVC training program. It has helped me to learn a valuable skill like tailoring. This skill has been an important investment in my life and it has already given me much.”

— Janet Jere

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Participants in the Faith Communities Program show off their hard work.