CADECOM Vocational Skills Training Giving Second Chances to Men in Chisenga
By Bridget mushani
Even at village level, people can only hire people with a certain level of proficiency in a trade, people claim to be theirs. The case of Chimwemwe Nyondo, was not different whose problems began when he had just gotten married. He was weighed down by poverty which was roaming around his life like a roaring hungry lion looking for fresh to devour.
Negative thoughts engulfed the 29-year-old Chimwemwe Nyondo, who does not even want to mention the troubles he has gone through, but now he is happy with the timely rescue by the Development Desk of the Diocese of Karonga, known among the people as CADECOM.
Chimwemwe Nyondo, from Nakalase Village in Traditional Authority Mwenewenya in Chitipa District, was trained in carpentry under the informal vocational skills training programme under the Integrated Rural Development Project. He is one of the many beneficiaries bearing testimony that if an individual is empowered with vocational skills their life, and that of their community, is transformed.
“I used to be a builder with just little knowledge and it was not easy to secure a building contract in the village. With limited means of earning income, I was finding it hard to manage my family which disturbed peace at home most of the times,”
“Thanks to the training he had with CADECOM which has restored peace and love in our family once again,” narrates Chimwemwe.
“I used to stay idle, but thanks to CADECOM and the Catholic Church, my story is a bitter-sweet story. I enrolled on CADECOM vocational skills training program. At first I did not have courage to enroll since I had knowledge in brick laying. But I shoved out that fear, learnt the trade and here I am making a living out of carpentry,” says Nyondo with, a lovely smile of hope.
CADECOM an arm of Karonga Diocese is offering different opportunities (Bricklaying, Carpentry and Tailoring) in the area for community members who did not go farther with their education. Thus individuals in various villages are learning vocational skills under the able hands of experienced trainers.
“People in the village are giving me business nowadays; I make beds, door frames and shutters, windows, stools for them. This has also added value to my building trade such that now I build and roof houses. I am making a living through self-employment, which I could not do before. In a good month, I make 50,000 Kwacha which is more than enough to feed and clothe my family by village standards.
“At the moment, I have an assurance of a solid future with all basic necessities at my disposal if I continue working hard and perfecting my skills,” speaks out Chimwemwe while roofing a house and putting a door shutter.
Chimwemwe Nyondo on his uniform: A beneficially of CADECOM Karonga Diocese Vocational skills program