The Board of VAM has been approached by the Stichting Djenné to work together on the realization of a women's vocational school in Bandiagara, a city in the South-east part of Mali.
On behalf of VAM, Marie Antionette visited Bandiagara in April 2010.
Important results of the visit and the meetings held there were:
- the founding of a formal Foundation for the project - all 76 local (women's) NGO's participating
- the start of a steering group for the project, which includes the local and regional authorities
- expression of large support by the local, regional and national government, resulting e.g. in a gift of the land needed for the building.
Most of the women in Bandigara have had very little formal education.
The aim of the Steering Group (and the Foundation) is to have the women's vocational school up-and-running in two years.
The school will provide different vocational training courses. The school will include a shop, a nurcery (gardens), a restaurant, ICT equipement - all aimed at creating new economic activities that generate income for the women. The school will be build together with and (partly by) the women themselves.
The steps taken so far:
- the interviews with the local women and local businesses to access the labourmarket perspective have started
- the design of the buidling (modular and incl. sustainable energy, water, (eco-/ composting) sanitation) is all most finalised
- fundraising has started and generated some first positive results
The first financial support has been provided by Impulsis.
More news (also in Dutch) on the website.
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