The association Freundeskreis Liweitari e.V. from Kißlegg (a municipality in our region) has been supporting the construction and operation of the Liweitari vocational training centre on the outskirts of the town of Natitingou in the West African country of Benin since 2013. It offers young people, regardless of ethnicity, religion and social background, the opportunity of dual vocational training in the skilled trades according to the German-Swiss model.
There are currently 88 apprenticeships and the number continues to grow. In addition to apprenticeships such as bricklayer, polymechanic (metal) and electrician, the highly practical, ecologically oriented agricultural training is aimed primarily at young women who have been denied regular school attendance. In order to give them a good vocational education, topics such as food hygiene and food preservation but also reading and writing as well as basic math are taught in addition to the agricultural focus.
In February 2022, the dual training programme will be expanded to include the occupational profile of tailor. Already now, the demand for one of the 20 training places is greater than the availability.
In addition, a primary school with over 200 children is also being served.
This year, STADLER was happy to support this wonderful project as a partner with a financial donation. With our financial support, a small health centre is currently being built by trainees and their trainers as well as by the cooperation of the benefiting villagers in a village about 20 km away without medical care, which will provide access to initial medical care but also hygiene and health instruction.
For more information, please visit the website of the training centre: www.cflbenin.com.