About 50 youth gave up their Saturday afternoon for our program. Ron was hoping for 80 but there was a Village Council meeting at the same time.
I just had to post this feel good story today before I left on vacation.
A few weeks ago, I posted about Youth Technical Training. The young man in my team, Ronnie, was energized by that week. He has come to embody the desired results of Youth Technical Training.
As the President of the Educate Club, he is mobilizing the members to adopt and implement the action plan the team drafted at YTT, for a chicken rearing operation at Bukooli College. I look forward to working with them throughout the process and giving you updates.
Ronnie also led the Club at a recent National Finals Competition in Kampala. It resulted in an article about the Club’s Liquid Soap in the New Vision Newspaper. He was not aware he was in the newspaper until I showed him the article today on my smart phone.
A lot of kids would rest on these laurels, but not Ronnie. He told me he wanted to pass on his knowledge from YTT to the mostly unemployed youths in his home village. So last Sunday, he went around to the local churches to announce a program on Entrepreneurship, with yours truly as a special guest presenter. After meeting to plot out our program, I arranged to make 40 copies of about ten pages of our YTT manual to use as handouts. (Digression- think how routinely we make photocopies in the USA – here this expense took a 20% bite out of my living allowance!)- These youth are unlikely to start a new business tomorrow, but I sincerely think at least a few of these handouts will be kept and referenced in the future.
Ronnie teaches Entrepreneurial skills.
Ronnie mentors a group plotting a mosquito net repair service
buy viagra in uk http://appalachianmagazine.com/category/featured/page/28/?filter_by=popular Its other advantage is that it can be taken orally even without food and still lasts up to thirty six hours after its intake. A dose of order levitra online http://appalachianmagazine.com/2014/10/20/wvu-win-over-baylor-tainted-by-riots-fires-assaults-on-law-enforcement54/ can make you a complete man in any way possible is a natural habit. This is not only unsatisfactory and frustrating for that particular moment but it pharmacy online viagra is also hugely confidence crushing and self-esteem crushing too. Physiotherapy Dubai has turned into a vital part of wholesale sildenafil everybody’s life. I had previously observed Ronnie’s leadership and charisma with the Educate Club members. Here, I marveled at how well Ronnie presented his portion of the material, although I had no idea what he was saying. The audience, ranging in age from 12 to late 20’s, was captivated and engaged. Ronnie and I alternated our presentation time. I was the supposed main attraction, but he was a tough act to follow! Utilizing the Peace Corps method of interactive teaching, rather than straight lecture, we broke them up into groups for a planning exercise. I enjoyed listening to their own presentations of creative ideas how they would innovate different products.
At the end of the afternoon, I asked if they wanted more, and this was met with enthusiasm. While I am gone next week, Ronnie will return to teach how to make the liquid soap described in the New Vision article. The class agreed to raise 30,000 shillings among themselves to pay for materials. I promised to return in a few weeks.
Ronnie is finishing S-6 next December. I have asked about his future plans. He says YTT has giving him hope he can be a successful businessman. But in his heart, he would like to become a doctor. He is concerned about the fees this would take, as he is the third oldest of nine children, which stretches family resources thin. I am confident his altruistic nature and skills will provide a bright future and I look forward to watching his progress.
Village kids peeking into the class. The girl on the red dress is Ronnie’s sister.
The day got off to a rocky start. After getting out of the taxi near the village, this little girl brought her littler sister over to me. A few seconds after this shot, I let go of the little girls hand and she tumbled back on the little rise you see. Thankfully it was just a minor shock to her.
This math was on the black board in the room of the primary school we used for the venue. I’m impressed.
Ronnie’s parents hosted us for a post-program meal.