Announcement

Isolated Villagers Gain New Practical Skills

150 students learn new skills in a three-month course.

Jalalabad City, Afghanistan  | Saturday, November 15, 2008

Afghans from six remote villages in Nangarhar province arrived recently in the provincial capital, Jalalabad City, to learn new skills.  Each student will study one of six professional trades that will help them earn a living and provide for their families.  To ensure the student’s relatives do not suffer without income while they are away, USAID, in partnership with the World Food Programme, has distributed three months worth of food to the family of each student.

The 150 students, selected to attend the courses by their district governors, will each take a three-month practical course in carpentry, masonry, plumbing, painting, electrical skills, or steel skills. The students will also undertake an intensive one week class in business planning to prepare them for the rigors of working for a business or, eventually, even or starting their own.  USAID will also support a job fair at the end of the course to assist students in finding employment.  When completed, each trained student will be empowered with the knowledge and tools they need to safely rebuild their communities.