Vocational Training for Afghan Women Project
(VTAWP)
By Michel Tapiero
Education Changes the World
VTAWP AFGHANISTAN
GOAL: To assist the GoA to implement its social protection strategy particularly as it pertains to support vulnerable women
PURPOSE: to increase self-sufficiency of vulnerable women and their families including widows and female-headed households in Kabul
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VTAWP AFGHANISTAN3 components in the project:
Technical and vocational training for widows in Kabul: acquired skills, literacy and self-confidence
Family and Community acceptance of women in vocational and technical trades: Awareness and gender equality, Community and family support
Institutional Capacity building: Partnerships, capacity building Voc Tech local Partners
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Vocational Training Cycle
Holistic Vocational Training
CycleVocational Training Course Delivery,
National Testing & Certification
Tracer Studies
Credit
Employment and Self-Employment
Career Support
Tools of the Trade (TOT)
Industrial Training / On the-Job Training
(OJT)
Employment Skills Including Personal Empowerment, Life skills, Gender, Workers’ Rights
and Responsibilities & Entrepreneurship Training
Institutional Capacity BuildingSupport and Training:
NVQ and VT Sector Reform requirements, Management, Administration, Finance,
Gender and Teaching Techniques
Vocational Training PreparationIncludes Soft Skills such as Career
Orientation, Gender, Health (Safety, First Aid, HIV and AIDS, Nutrition) & Life Skills
Planning and Preparation Process Based on Labour Market Assessment &
Employment Results; Preparation Includes Selecting Staff, Purchasing
Equipment, Selecting Trainees, & Constructing/Renovating Facilities
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Tool Kits, Productive Assets & Links to micro-
credit
Networking Introduction of
trainee to Employer, forums, VT provider,
forming women’s associations
Community & Family Acceptance
of women and employment
Research/M&ETracer studies (6
months & 2 years), Lessons learned,
Graduates meetings, Case studies,IPO meetings
Employment and Self
Employment assistance
Post-Course Training
Workers rights & ResponsibilitiesFamily meetings
Vocational Training•Trades training•Crèche•Safety equipment•Travel •Examinations
Additional Skill Training Integrated in
VTEmpowerment, literacy,
career orientation, safety & first aid, reproductive health & nutrition, leadership, life skills/ counseling, family
awareness on gender, MED, savings and credit.
Institutional Capacity Building
VT, organizational & business management, teacher training,
syllabus & material development, gender/WEE
training, infrastructure for VT & businesses.
Establish small businesses,
producer groups & provide business
counseling
Trade specific marketing &
financial skills training
Monitoring
On-the-job training
Project Preparation•Equipment , purchase, renovation, select trainees, food and transportation for trainees.
Planning ProcessLabour market survey,
business feasibility, project and partner review, nationally
recognized syllabus, LOA with IPO, instructor selection, mobilization of women for employment, Coordination wil local
gvment authorities
VTAWP Project Cycle
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VTAWP AFGHANISTAN
Context and existing conditions Strong cultural, religious, societal
traditions Low literacy levels Limited access to sustainable
employment Child labour to supplement income Low income and large family size Increased rent prices and levels of
debt Limited access to credit Mobility challenges Inadequate nutrition
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VTAWP AFGHANISTAN
Labour Market Situation
Crafts and trades are the major category of business
Service/shop category is the second most prevalent
Lack of access to credit for SMEs
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VTAWP AFGHANISTANCross-Cutting Themes
Integrates a gender strategy to empower women
Inclusive participation of all groups (women, families, community)
Capacity development (skills training and increase their income-earning capacity).
Enhance planning and management capacity of government, NGO and private sector partners
Establish strong partnerships (local civil society organizations, private sector and government ministries.)
Coordination and sharing best practices and lessons learned with all stakeholders
Application of RBM
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Results as of March 31 , 2009
Out of 1025 trainees:• 65% are women (widows/mothers 33%,
daughters 32%)• 35% male youths (sons)
463 successfully graduated, the remaining trainees still in courses
10 trainees accessed On the Job Training (OJT) 100% of graduates received tool kits 100% of graduates received additional skill
training 41% of graduates employed or self-employed 6
months after training
Project Goal : 1700 individuals successfully complete VT training courses
Target Group: Unemployed widows and their families
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VTAWP AFGHANISTAN
No TradesTotal number of
classes
1 Bag Making 2
2 Bakery 3
3 Beautician 3
4 Carpentry 2
5 Charma / Dozy 4
6 Computer 4
7 Embroidery 11
8 Food Processing 2
9 House Wiring 4
10 Mobile Phone Repair 5
11 Plumbing 1
Total 41
Trades classes offered
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VTAWP AFGHANISTANAdditional skills training modules
1 Female Trainee Empowerment
2 Career Orientation
3 Life Skills/Counselling
4 Reproductive Health (including HIV/AIDS)
5 Nutrition
6 Occupational Health & Safety
7 First Aid
8 Gender
9 Savings & Credit
10 Leadership
11 Cooperatives
12 Career Skills
13 Worker Rights & Responsibilities
14Business Development Skills and how to set-up a Business Unit – throughout VT
15 Literacy - throughout VT
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VTAWP AFGHANISTANThe project also provides capacity building initiatives with the local training partners Agreement with eight partners (providing 41
training classes in total) Twenty training classes (average 20-25
trainees/course) completed (22 on-going) Two training of trainers courses for fifty VT
instructors employed by local training partners
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VTAWP AFGHANISTANLessons learned from Sustainable Livelihood Projects The project must maintain a high
degree of adaptability to respond to market demands
An employment-oriented approach is critical, as is up-front and follow-up research on labour and employment markets
Without providing ongoing support and follow up assistance to employment and self-employment, the risk of not continuing in the trained trade is very high
Business training and emphasis on quality control must be provided along with VT in order to lead to employment
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Lessons learned from Sustainable Livelihood Projects continued Businesses should be linked to locally available
resources and markets In traditional activities such as tailoring and
embroidery, the market is highly competitive, therefore there must be emphasis on producing high quality products
Technological improvements can lead to higher quality and higher income earning
The ages of the widows may determine which training is more suitable; therefore a mix of traditional and non-traditional trades is recommended to have more scope for involving widows of all ages
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Thank you
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