Vocational Training Centre

St. Louise Vocational Training Centre is located at Appiadu a suburb of Kumasi. The Vocational Training Centre was established in 2013 to provide a residential skill training centre for girls who wish to leave the street to learn a skill but who may not have stable families to return to. It was also noted that some girls who returned home form the streets and enrolled into skill training dropped out due to abusive family situation, early/forced marriages, lack of family support or economic hardship. To prevent these situations a residential centre was thought to be the alternative so vulnerable young girls can learn skill of their choices free from threats. The centre provides girls who exit the street as well as poor girls at risk of going to the street the opportunity to   learn employable skills of their choices of two years. The training at the VTC is holistic. Girls are trained in a wide range of areas such as home keeping, basic literacy, human development/ sexuality. Girls are mentored to develop self- confidence and esteem and a sense of self determination. They are also exposed to a wide range of skill areas which include crop and animal farming, beads making, detergent making, and tye and dye.At the moment the girls have the option to specialize in dress making or hairdressing. The training concludes with the girls taking the National Vocational Training Institute Training (NVTI) examination. After their graduation, the girls undertake a few months of internship with well- established experts in their fields of training. On completion of the internship girls are helped to establish their business with needed set-up items. Sponsorship is a means to an end. The primary aim of all we do for children/youngsters in street situation is to empower them towards economic independence so they can earn their living through dignified labour and realize their potentials and become actualized individuals who can contribute meaningfully to the society. Therefore, we assist beneficiaries to set up their income generating projects, when they complete the skill training of their choices. In some cases, they are given employment opportunities or helped to access one.

Girls Under Skilled Training

The Saint Louise de Marillac Vocational Training Centre (VTC) serves as a shining symbol of hope, opportunity and transformation for young women and girls from disadvantaged backgrounds. Situated in Kumasi, Ghana, the Centre specializes in providing them with valuable skills in dressmaking, hairdressing, and catering, along with essential literacy, numeracy and entrepreneurship skills. In addition to vocational training, the Centre offers a haven, care, and comprehensive support from skilled professionals for survivors of abuse, trafficking, and those facing other vulnerable circumstances.

The Centre is managed by the Daughters of Charity of Saint Vincent de Paul. As we look back on this year’s activities, accomplishments, challenges, and future aspirations, we celebrate the significant progress made in changing lives, while acknowledging the ongoing need for growth and innovation.

The Centre also offers shelter and care to victims of abuse, trafficked individuals, and girls in street or other vulnerable situations. This core activity is integral to the Centre’s mission, providing a safe haven along with counselling, skill training opportunities, and support for these individuals, who are frequently deeply traumatized by their experiences, along with support for reintegration into society.

We shelter victims of human trafficking and vulnerable young girls received training at the VTC in dressmaking, catering, and hairdressing, tailored to their interests. Additionally, they explored supplementary skills such as soap making, bag crafting, detergent production, and beadwork. The training at the center adopted a holistic approach, encompassing a wide array of developmental activities. Beyond skill acquisition, the girls participated in literacy programs, counselling sessions, home management training, capacity-building, and self-development workshops. The Centre ensured the girls were supported to develop essential life skills including communication/interpersonal skills, leading by example, teamwork/ collaboration, and independent learning. This comprehensive approach not only equipped them with practical skills but also aimed at empowering them as confident, self-reliant individuals capable of making meaningful contributions to
their communities and society.

Empowering Futures: How St. Louise Marillac Vocational Training Nurtures Dignity and Hope for Vulnerable Girls

From overcoming adversity to embracing potential, these girls are transforming their lives and empowering their own community. Discover how they are not just surviving, but thriving and building sustainable futures.

Kumasi, Ghana – In the heart of Ghana, where the wisdom of ancestors reminds us that “Every moment is a moment of learning,” a quiet revolution is unfolding. Far from merely teaching vocational skills, the Daughters of Charity, in vibrant partnership with Safe-Child Advocacy, also managed by Daughters of Charity are empowering vulnerable young vulnerable girls with a profound understanding of self-sustainability and the inherent dignity of work. This initiative, deeply rooted in Catholic Social Teaching, is transforming lives, turning “nothing into something” and helping girls “use one stone to kill two birds.”

At the Vocational Training Centre (VTC) here, under the dedicated guidance of Sr. Gertrude Gima and her compassionate companions, the vision extends far beyond the traditional needle and thread or culinary arts. While dressmaking, hairdressing, and catering remain cornerstones of the curriculum, the VTC has embarked on an ambitious journey into agriculture, cultivating not only skills but also a robust future for its beneficiaries.

“Work is dignity,” a core tenet of Catholic Social Teaching, is not just preached here; it’s lived daily. The adage, “Do not give them fish but teach them how to fish,” resonates profoundly in every aspect of the VTC’s operations. The girls are now actively engaged in poultry farming, raising layers and broiler chickens, and managing a thriving pig farm. This hands-on experience in animal husbandry provides not only valuable entrepreneurial skills but also a sustainable source of nutrition and income for the centre itself.

Adding a new dimension to their self-sufficiency efforts, the VTC has recently ventured into crop farming. Expansive plots of maize and various vegetables are now tended by the girls, providing fresh produce for their own consumption and further contributing to the centre’s economic independence. This diversification ensures that even as they master traditional trades, they are also equipped with diverse survival skills, preparing them for any challenge life may present.

This comprehensive approach, championed by Safe-Child Advocacy, ensures that the young women receive a holistic education. Beyond the practicalities of farming and vocational trades, they are instilled with life skills, confidence, and an unshakeable belief in their own capabilities. From victims of circumstance, they are blossoming into confident individuals, equipped to build sustainable futures for themselves and contribute meaningfully to their communities.

Indeed, the Daughters of Charity and Safe-Child Advocacy are not just running a training centre; they are cultivating a garden of human dignity, where every seed sown represents hope, every harvest symbolizes self-reliance, and every girl who walks through their doors emerges ready to embrace a future built on the empowering foundation of work.

ACTIVITIES AT THE VOCATIONAL TRAINING CENTRE

Sheltering Vulnerable Individuals

The Centre remained dedicated to offering shelter and care to victims of abuse, trafficked individuals, and girls in street or other vulnerable situations. This core activity is integral to the Centre’s mission, providing a safe haven along with counselling, skill training opportunities, and support for these individuals, who are frequently deeply traumatized by their experiences, along with support for reintegration into society.

SKILL TRAINING

Vulnerable young girls receive training at the VTC in dressmaking, catering, and hairdressing, tailored to their interests. Additionally, they explore supplementary skills such as soap making, bag crafting, detergent production, and beadwork.

The training at the centre adopts a holistic approach, encompassing a wide array of developmental activities. Beyond skill acquisition, the girls participate in literacy programs, counselling sessions, home management training, capacity-building, and self-development workshops. The Centre ensure the girls are supported to develop essential life skills including communication/interpersonal skills, leading by example, teamwork/ collaboration, and independent learning.

This comprehensive approach not only equipped them with practical skills but also aim at empowering them as confident, self-reliant individuals capable of making meaningful contributions to their communities and society.

GRADUATION CEREMONY

The Centre proudly marks the achievements of its trainees through graduation ceremonies. A total of twenty-one (21) trainees completed their vocational training, with six (6) specialising in hairdressing and fifteen (15) in dressmaking.

These memorable events were honoured by the presence of distinguished guests, including the Traditional Chief of the Appiadu community, the Member of Parliament aspirant for the New Patriotic Party for the Oforikrom Constituency, the Assembly Member of Appiadu, and representatives from the local media.

The ceremonies were a moment of great pride, achievement and celebration for both the trainees and the entire Centre.