By Mabinty M. Kamara
Forty-five youths have been trained in dress making and embroidery. The beneficiaries - 26 women and 19 men - were trained as part of a program supported by the Government of Sierra Leone and Hunan University in China.
The trainees were also provided with start up kits such as sewing machines, fabrics and other tools to help them start up their businesses. All 45 trainees went through an “intensive” three-month training at the Young Women Christian Association (YWCA) Vocational Institute in Freetown. The training programme was facilitated by instructors from Hunan International College in China.
During the graduation ceremony, Deputy Minister of Labor and Social Security, Lansana Mohamed Dumbuya, said that the skills training initiative was a demonstration of the ministry’s commitment to promote employment opportunities, particularly for the youth population in the country.
He assured of the Ministry’s commitment to provide more training opportunities in diverse skills for the larger youth population of the country, noting that a system would be set up by the ministry to monitor the activities of the trainees to ensure sustainability of their career.
Dr. Turad Senesi, Deputy Minister of Technical and Higher Education, reiterated government’s commitment to promote technical and vocational education with a view of addressing the unemployment situation in the country. Senesie encouraged the successful trainees to be dedicated in their career and to train other youths in their communities.
Ambassador of the People's Republic of China to Sierra Leone, Hu Zhangliang, said the training is an illustration of China’s “strong” relationship with Sierra Leone.
He added that China was committed to the development of Sierra Leone’s human resource.
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