Child vendors undergo basic carpentry training

By Adel Fruean 18 April 2019, 12:00AM

A training programme to develop child vendors' basic carpentry skills is being run by the Samoa Victim Support Group (SVSG).

The traininig – which is funded by the U.S. Embassy in Samoa – will strive to build the confidence of low self-esteem child vendors by teaching them basic carpentry skills to enable them to get over the hurdle posed by their low literacy rates.

The basic carpentry training workshop is called "hot soup", which the SVSG believes is an appropriate name, as ultimately they hope the children will be able to fend for themselves and not go hungry.

According to the SVSG, the basic carpentry skills is not post-school education and training, but rather a livelihood support programme.

“It is to instill in the children’s minds with building up their skills. It is not post-school education and training, but rather livelihood and soft skills training under the hot soup skill building program. So that in the end the children will never go hungry again, which has resulted to the programme referred to as the 'hot soup' skill building training."

The SVSG said the programme is part of the group's contribution to address the child vendor problem in Samoa. The programme has been running for eight months, with the SVSG staff indicating that they were already beginning to see its benefits. 

"There has been transformation in progress, in terms of a total of 10 students who attended the program in 2018 are now enrolled for the first time in the mainstream education. There were also a sign of more child vendors aged 12–14 who are interested in the program that have enrolled this year."

U.S. Ambassador to Samoa, Scott Brown,  visited the hot soup program last month. The students proudly showcased their work of art which amazed the ambassador.

By Adel Fruean 18 April 2019, 12:00AM
Samoa Observer

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