Youth Vocational Training (Welding, Carpentry, and Poultry) July 1997 - June 1998 Kapini, Zambia Implemented by: ICA Japan & ICA Zambia
PROJECT OVERVIEW Vocational Training for Youth Life in rural areas is unstable in Zambia because of problems such as outdated agricultural techniques, high inflation rates, and increasingly frequent droughts. Sustainable agriculture training to stabilize rural life has been conducted by ICA since 1991. This training enables village people to earn income through low-cost agriculture, and more people today are interested in agricultural activities. Acquiring techniques for manufacturing farming tools suitable for small-scale farmers is also necessary to realize sustainable agriculture. In 1996, a youth vocational training center was established in Kapini village, in central Zambia. Courses in welding, carpentry and poultry rearing enable students and farmers to use self-designed and made tools rather than purchase expensive ones. This training increases the standard of living in rural areas and changes the attitude of youth towards village life and prevents them from moving to big cities in search of a better life. In 1997, we are continuing this program and adding training in business management, and the setting up of small businesses for the first year graduates. We are providing welding and carpentry materials, poultry raising equipment and day-old chicks, as well as instructors salaries.
1. The vocational training project in Kapini village was launched two years ago. Prior to attending the vocational training course, the youth passed time without any real purpose. But now, they have acquired useful skills and have started contributing significantly to the community.
Life in Kapini Village
	2. A view of Kapini village. The houses are made of sun-dried bricks, mud, and hay.
	3. Utilities like electricity and running water are unheard of here. Women fetch water for their families, early in the morning as part of their daily chores.
	4. There are always several young people who hang out at the side of the road, sometimes they sell gasoline illegally.
Welding Course
Repairing Farming Tools
	5. Students repairing a broken hoe.
	6. A student brazing a hoe.
	7. This elderly man is very happy on seeing his two hoes repaired. He visited the training center from a village 12 miles away to get his hoes repaired.
	8. Repairing a broken part of a plough.
	9. Welding students fabricating a wheel for a plough.
	10. The villager who ordered his plough repaired is checking his receipt. Calculating material cost, labour, and arriving at the right price is a part of training.
	11. A student repairing a handle of a wheel barrow.
	12. The welding instructor is assisting the students in repairing the wheel barrow.
	13. The repair was completed in 30 minutes. Villagers are happy to have the training center which can provice services to the community at reasonable prices.
	14. Welding students repairing a window frame.
	15. Fabricating window frames. Majority of the people in Zambian rural areas live in traditional mushroom-shaped houses, made of sun-dried bricks, mud and a grass roof. However, houses made of red bricks are becoming popular nowadays, and the demand for window frames has increased.
	16. The welding instructor with one of the students, measuring the window frame.
Training Center Renovation
	17. Welding and carpentry groups shifted to a bigger building in November 1997, in order to have enough working space. The building was constructed in 1980, and was used for human development training by ICA Zambia. Students installed anti-burglar bars and so on to prevent robbery.
	18. Welding students installing anti-burglar bars to the back door of the training center.
	19. Installing an iron shield on a window frame of the training center.
Manufacture of a grill door
	20. Cutting an angle iron to fabricate parts for a grille door.
	21. They marked the cut iron to indicate where to weld, and fabricated a grille door.
	22. Joining iron bars to complete the grille door.
	23. Welding students look happy after finishing the grille door and installing it in the client's building.
Manufacture of a Garden Set
	24. Welding instructor assisting the students to put together the pieces for a garden chair.
	25. Brazing a garden chair.
	26. Painting the garden chair.
	27. Welding students displaying the finished set of garden chairs and tables.
Other Projects
	28. Welding students and their clients with a resized door frame.
	29. A completed and installed grille door at the primary school.
Theory Class
	30. Welding instructor giving a lecture on gas welding. Theoretical knowledge is important for the students to work efficiently and safely.
	31. Welding group leader lecturing to a new student.
	32. A welding student reviewing the curriculum.
Carpentry Course
	33. Students working in the training center which they moved to in November 1997. They are divided into three groups.
	34. The carpentry instructor giving a lecture about the various planks and their possible defects.
Manufacture of Moris Chairs
	35. A carpentry student preparing parts for Moris chairs.
	36. Putting together the parts. They are drilling the holes to insert wooden screws.
	37. Packing the seat with cotton wool before covering it with rexine cloth.
	38. Fixing arm rests. All the parts have been vanished.
	39. A complete set of Moris chairs.
	40. The Moris chairs were purchased by a pre-school teacher.
Manufacturing a Cabinet
	41. Placing drawers into the cabinet.
	42. Making holes with a drilling machine. These holes are for TV cables and so on to pass through, as well as for decoration.
	43. A completed cabinet. It was purchased by an ICA staff member.
Making a Toilet Paper Holder
	44. A student fabricating a toilet paper holder.
	45. Checking if the holder works well.
	46. The painted and varnished holder. It was installed in the toilet of the former training center.
Visiting Lusaka Trades Institution
	47. The carpentry group visited Lusaka Trades Institution, a vocational training center in Lusaka, to enrich their knowledge and skills.
	48. An instructor of the Lusaka Trade institution is testing the Kapini training center students about their knowledge on tools.
Poultry Course
Poultry House Construction
	49. 50. The poultry house was built in June 1997, and has room for only 500 chicks. The students in the Poultry Course renovated an old poultry house which was not in use as a part of their training. They can now raise 1000 chickens at a time.
	50. See above.
	51. The Poultry house is nearly completed and the roof is being thatched with hay.
Preparation for Raising Chickens
	52. A poultry instructor is giving a lecture about poultry production. The students asked a lot of questions.
	53. The poultry house was disinfected two weeks before the chicks arrived. Students are mixing the disinfectant with water.
	54. Spreading disinfectant throughout the poultry house.
	55. They are building a foot bath at the entrance of the poultry house.
Raising Chickens
	56. Day old chicks. They will be raised for about 7 weeks as broilers.
	57. Feeders are installed when the chickens are 4 weeks old.
	58. Chickens feeding.
Preparation for selling
	59. The students took turns plucking feathers.
	60. Cleaning the chickens prior to packing.
	61. Ms. Kakinuma, a Japanese volunteer from JICA, assisted the students.
Preparing the Feed
	62. Poultry students started to grow maize to cut the cost of feed.
	63. A healthy maize crop.
Staff Meeting
	64. Instructors and ICA Zambia staff hold regular meetings to manage the project efficiently. Ms. Maki Hasegawa of ICA Japan joined in the meetings while she was working as a project coordinator in Zambia.
	65. ICA Zambia staff selecting drawings for advertising their products.
Student Meeting
	66. Student Meetings are held for every course, when needed. This photo shows the group discussion among the poultry students.
	67. Student of all the courses gather every 3 months. Students share their experiences with others. Instructors and ICA staff also join, and give the students advice.