ICA Japan - Cote d'lvoire 1998

Ms. Yasuoka, expert on dressmaking with her second year students. She was sent here during February and March and gave lessons which were easy to understand. She also does costume designs for stages and traditional artcrafts in Japan.

Youth Vocational Training (Sewing, Weaving, Tailoring, Hairdressing, Literacy) in Brobo, Cote d'Ivoire July 1998 - June 1999
Project Overview
Ms. Yasuoka, expert on dressmaking with her second year students. She was sent here during February and March and gave lessons which were easy to understand. She also does costume designs for stages and traditional artcrafts in Japan.
Open air market
	01. An open air market in the centre of Brobo where people sell the goods from their own farms. The main sources of income are agriculture and commerce on a very small scale.
	02. There are few kinds of vegetables but tomatoes,aubergines,cucumbers,onions and chillid are always available. Yum potatoes,rice,bread and spagettis are their staple diet. Peanuts and corns are sold seasonally.
	03. Attike, something similsr to couscous made from cassaba. It is a popular dish sold together with fried fish, onions, tomatoes and oil. (about \20)
	04. The weekly market held on Tuesdays. The city becomes more lively as many gather from surrounding villages to sell various things.
Dempnstration On Vaccination
	05. 6/Aug/99. The womens' association and OSEAC (Bukea's NGO) worked together to give demonstrations on vaccination, usage of drugs,feeding the newborns and family planning.
	06. At the demonstration, free tetanus and periostitis injections were given. Although these are given at hospitals at \20 normally, it is not sought as the importance of them is not well known yet. Therefore, explanations were given to the villagers.
	07. Everyone was invited to the demonstraion on hygine since not many women come to gatherings such as this as they have housework and other work to do.
A Public kendergarden In Brobo
	08.ブロボの公立幼稚園。園長のToure Amani氏と３人の保母が毎日８５人の園児と学ぶ校舎の中は、至ってシンプルではあるが工夫が凝らされている。ポンプ式の井戸、トイレの工事、校舎の回収、教材の不足などの困難を語る一方、園児達と子供好きな園長の表情は明るく、平和を感じさせる。 A public kindergarden on Brobo with the head, Mr. Toure Aman, 3 teachers and 85 children. Mr. Aman mentioned about the lack of facilities but his face was happy as he enjoys playing with the children everyday.
ICA Staff Meeting
	09. ICA Cort d'Ivore is closely linked with the community. As they run the vocational training centre, they contribut to development and are appreciated by the community. The sign is a token of appreciation given to the organisations who cuurently help ICA, with the Postal Office's Voulnteer Savings listed at the top.
	10. The general meeting held in Februaruy 99 where the ICA staffs gathered to report theri succcesses up to now and to discuss better plans for the future learning from the mistakes.
	11. A staff meeting is held every Friday afternoon and the reprot how the programmes are going so far.
	12. Mr. Vincent, programme coordinator and lecturers leld a meeting at the beginning of term to make the curriculm and decide on school rules etc. He also holds similar meetings at the end of every month and makea a report and plan for next month.
Dress Making Course-1st Year
	13. She is ironing a children's clothes which is almost finished. There are a lot of first year students in the dress making course. She is using coal iron since ther is no electricity on the new building yet.
	14. Florence is doing the under sewing for children's clothes by hand and will use the sewing machine after this. The first year students start learning how to use the machine around about January.
	15. Madelene is 4 months in to the course and she is saving the clothes that she has made for the time when she has her own children. By the time thery reach the third year, they will be able to make clothes within 3days to a week.
2st year
	16. Olga is in charge of the second years. She is drawing the desidn of the clothes on the blackboard and explaing how to cut the materials. Although the students all start at the same time some of them cannot buy exactly the same materials and also taking tuns for the machine causes delays.
	17. Veronica and Francoise are amikng a long sleeve shirt. They are getting individual advice after they had been given an explantion with the whole class.
	18. Ivone is amking gathers to put at the chest. She has learnt how to use the machine in her second year and now she can make an adult's piece of clothing within 1 to 2 weeks.
3st year
	19. Mrs. Kumea , using the sewing machine. The machine is constantly used since each students make about 9 or 10 dresses a year. Although the teachers can do some mending, the machines are professionaly inspected once every 3 months.
	20. Christine is making a wedding dress which is to be worn at the graduation ceremony. To make the dress, it costs about \9000 and those who could not afford it were making different dresses.
	21. Lea looks happy as her dress is completed and is waiting for graudation day. Third years are able to make dresses even as complicated as this within one week.
Teacher And Student's Nots
	22. Left: a tight dress with a flared bottom Right: a dress for a 5 year old girl
	23. Left: a long sleeve shirt and a skirt with a some traditional Cort d'Ivore material called pagne being used. Right: a tight strao t shirt with wrap up skirt.
	24. Left: a long skirt with a flared end and a short sleeve top Right: short trousers with its cutting plan
	25. Left: a vest, a dress and trouseres Right: a flared shirt with a long skirt
Student's Works
	26. A gatherd skirt using creton material. The first year students make miniture dresses for practice for the first 2 months.
	27. A lady's dress using material called bobo. To sace cost, the second years make dresses ona samllers scale using creton material.
	28. A three piece made by Failmen who was the first male graudate, graudating in June 98. He was hard working and acquired a high level of skill. He is now a member of the union and is gradually getting some orders.
	29. A dress made by the first set of graduates for the 98 graduates.
	30. Some pieces made by Filmen for the fashion show. The sleeves are detachable.
	31. Skirt and shirt made by a second year using Model Cedeao design, a design worn by Miss Cedeao last year.
Embroidery And Knitting course
	32.洋裁の専門家、安岡氏は刺繍もできるため、毎週月曜の午後と木曜午前に刺繍、編み物の指導を行った。写真は彼女が紹介した刺繍用丸枠。 Since Ms. Yasuoka could also do embroidery, she held embroidery and knitting lessons twice a week.
	33. Ruts, who is a teacher of embroidery and knitting tool some time to et used to the tools at first but now she thinks the tools make it easier to actually do the work and thus gives lessons using them.
	34. The round frames are popular amongst the students but since the number of them is limited and it is too expensive for tme to buy, they have to take turns in using them
	35. Gnemessan is copying the desing using tracing paper. The designs do not have to be out from a catalogue and the students can do what ever they want to. Since embroidery needels are difficult to get, they are currently using sewing needles ut this makes is very difficult to get the threads through the hole.
	36.37. The embroidery on the left of a traditional Cort d'Ivore doll of the Mann area is made by a second year student and the reat are done by the first years. The first and second year students work together and complete a piece between 2 weeks and a month. Although some on them find it difficult at first, they seem to be enjoying it by the end of their first year.
	38. Knitting lesson where the teacher, Ruth, is giving a demonstraion first.The class is held once a week, so they alternate bewteeb embroidery and knitting. Ruth went to a dressmaking school for 3 years and has also learnt cooking and about hygine.
Dress Making Class
	39. The dress making ocuse is a popular course since students can easily earn a living as long as they have a sewing machine. This year, 28 students entered the course. Some private dressmaking schools take in about 40 students. Among the 28, some were absent due to illness and housework, but 20 will go on to second year next year, 4 will repeat the first year and 4 have quitted.
	40. The decision whether to allow a student to go on to do the next year os made by ICA staff, the teachers and Mr. Vincent, looking at the attendance, test results and skills of each students.
	41. This year, 12 students progressed on to third year. In the 12, there were those who switched from a dressing school in Bukea to gain new skills here.
Baule Fabric Couse
	42. An exhibition was held by ICA at the Tuesday market to make Baule fabric more well known. This also helped to build a reputaion for the vocational training centre.
	43. At the exhibition, Romain, the teacher, and Daniel, first year student of the weaving course, gave a demonstration and attracted a lot of attention. It led to the recogntion of the training centre as well as the products were of such high standrad.
	44. Poeple looking at the woven textiles. Since this ehibition gave a good impression of the centre, more people have applied for next term.
Make Baule Fabric
	45. To make Baule fabric, the strings have to be washed three times first in order to stop the colours moving on to other strings. For the washing, women are called for as well.
	46. Preparing for weaving by rolling the strings. This is onr of the most fundamental skills in making Baule fabric. This is going to be made into Pagne for men which is worn at festivals.
	47. Jean Claud, the teacher, is rolling the strings using a machine. He taught at the cetnre this year as a trainee teacher.
	48. Romain, the leader of the course is attaching the strings on to the machine.
	49. Romain is teaching various motifs to the students. In Cort d'ivore, weaving has traditionally been a profession for men, requiring partience and stamina.
	50. A month into the training, the students have started to work on the machine. Since most of them cannot read or write French, lessons were doen using the machine itself without blackboard lessons.
	51.Daniel, Alexandre and Koffi showing the fabrics they have woven . It was a joint production first but towards the end of the course, they had woven 4 to 6 pieces each. Initially it takes about 2 weeks to weave one piece but after one year, it only takes them a day and for a professional, a few hours.
	52. After the fabric is woven, the students from the dressmaking course sew them together to make a big pagne. A male one needs 16 pieces and the female one needs 10.
	53. A completed pagne woven by Jean Claud. It took him 3 weeks.
	54. There are many kinds of motifs and after a while students will be able to make their own motifs.
	55. Ab elderly man wearing Baule fabric. These are worn on special occasions such as weddings and meetings.
Hairdresser's Course
	56. For the hairdresser's course, the first and second year students take lessons in the same classroom and ther is only one teacher, Mme. Yao. If there are more students next year, the number of classrooms and teachers need to be increased and it may be necessary to seperate rooms between the different grades as well.
	57. Mme. Yao is eplaing to the students on how to se the hair. After an overall explantaion, the students have a go one by one. Al though she teaches them individually, she spends more time with the first year students.
	58. second year studetnts, Estelle, Odette and Onholine are washing hair. This isthe most fundamental skill and is tuaght during first year. Due to the bad water supply of the village and the water
	59. First year student Florence is learning how to use a curler using a manekin. It is a difficult process and need s lot of practice and the first years start with a manekin.
	60. Leontine is brading Florence's hair which is a popular hair style among the women and is sometimes woven with coloured hair. Since there are onl 4 manekins and 9 students, some have to practice suing a fellow student's hair.
	61. Kaline, a seond year students is making curled hair using curler and dryer. In the second year they learn how to cut, perm hair and set hair using an electronic rod.
	62. Estelle is setting hair using babiris, a skill taught in the beginning of first year. This is quicker and the style is longer lasting as compared to that being done with a dryer.
	63. Odette, a second year, is practicing manicure treatment. In the city hair salons this service is often done for about \500 and so it is a necessary skill for them if they wish to work in the city.
Literacy And Arithmatic Class
	64. The literacy and arithmetic class is divided into two levels, and is held once a week, alternating between literacy and arithmetic. The eleven students in the Level 1 French class are not yet able to read and write. As the class is small, each child has a chance to participate. First they will master the alphabet.
	65. Chantal is practicing the alphabet. Even Chantal, who a year ago was unable to write the letter "a", is now able to read, write and dictate present-tense sentences such as "Barbara goes to the festival".
	66. The teacher, Denis, is writing an example on the board. He also teaches arithmetic classes. He teaches Level 1 everything from French numbers to addition and subtraction. Since French and numeracy are essential for job-hunting as well as participation in any training course, the school freely accepts those young people who cannot yet read and write, and offers them a basic education.
Health and hygiene course
	67. The first class on health and hygiene. On 8th March 1999, the 3rd years from the dress-making course and the 1st and 2nd years from the hairdressing course are taking part. Marie-Marcelle of ICA Cote d`Ivoire is explaining the purpose of the class.
	68. If the desks are arranged in a rectangle, the students can participate easily, answer questions freely and gain maximum benefit from the class.
	69. In the classroom the teacher does not merely teach the children, but encourages them to think for themselves. The classroom is a place for opinions to be exchanged.
School graduation ceremony
	70. The graduation ceremony for the 2nd year students. Over 500 people attended, including the mayor of the province, the staff of ICA Cote d`Ivoire, the teachers and parents of the students and the residents of Brobo. In this photo the mayor is giving a speech. The ceremony was held on 6th February 1999 at the Maquis le Partenaire restaurant.
	71. 16 students waiting to graduate (12 from the dressmaking course and 4 from the hairdressing course). Everybody praised their efforts and noted the confidence they had gained from completing the course.
	72. Kouadio Vincent, the project co-ordinator and the person who takes responsibility for the school`s management, congratulates the students on their achievements.
	73. Viviane at the fashion show wearing the dress she made herself. The graduates were grateful for the benefits they had gained from the course, and demonstrated a new self-awareness. The next issue for these newly-skilled graduates is a lack of the funds needed to start working. ICA Cote d`Ivoire plans to start a project to support them.
	74. This Baoule-woven Pagne is being shown to the audience. It was woven during demonstrations to the students.
	75. A demonstration from the graduates of the hairdressing course. Those gathered at the ceremony admired the demonstration.
	76. A scene from a drama on AIDS. A mother whose daughter has died of AIDS is crying. The 1st and 2nd years practiced this drama for two months prior to the ceremony. The inspiration for the theme came from their classes on health and hygiene, and they devised the story themselves.
School teaching materials
	77. A machine purchased by the project. There are now 32 machines in the center, comprising 11 machines for the 28 1st years, 11 machines for the 17 2nd years and 10 machines for the 3rd years.
	78. Threads used for textiles. The threads in the package at the back and on the left-hand side are cotton, while the wound threads on the left-hand side are synthetic. The synthetic threads were imported from Morocco and Mali.
	79. In the background there is a helmet-shaped perming machine. There are a variety of different perming machines, each one costing about 75000 yen.
Introduction to the school and discussion in the villages surrounding Brobo
	80. Daniel Sombo, a staff member of ICA Cote d`Ivoire and Wataru Hashinuma, sent from Japan, visited the ten villages around Brobo to explain the training school. The villages are about 10 km away from Brobo. Some of the villagers have not been to school before, and those who are unable to read and write are able to join the school. When villagers are surrounded by those who are highly skilled, they are highly motivated. These are the people of N`Doumou-kouassikro village.
	81. Kofi-kofikro village, three km from Brobo. One person from this village attends the school. Before giving an introduction to the school, he emphasized the course available on Baoule weaving, one of the region`s traditional crafts. According to the men of the village, their ancestors used to weave Baoule cloth, but the tradition was not passed down to them. Mr. Wataru Hashinuma talked about the decline in traditional crafts in Japan, and attracted the interest of the local people.
	82. Saminikoro village, about 12 km from Brobo. Most of the villagers are assembled at a community meeting at the village leader`s house and Wataru Hashinuma is giving an explanation of the school in French, while Daniel translates into the Baoule language. The villagers asked questions about school fees and whether there will be a school boarding house.
	83. Zougban village, about 13 km from Brobo. The villagers are saying that their distance from the training school is their biggest problem. They say that if there is a boarding house at the school, they would consent to sending their children to the school every month. The purpose of the project is to help the villagers. It is thought that building a boarding house would enable villagers who are living further away to participate in the project.
	84. Bouanda village, about 10km from Brobo. (Each of these students from the village depends on living with relatives in Brobo in order to go to school). These villagers knew of the existence of the village, but when they received an explanation of the courses on offer and what they involved they were made to feel welcome. Finally Mr. Hashinuma and Daniel made a tour of the village. In this way the villagers were able to talk with them directly and gain an in-depth understanding of the project. Rather than waiting for young people to come to us, we believe it is important to spread word about the project in the villages and take a stance which is responsive to the needs of the students.

Youth Vocational Training (Sewing, Weaving, Tailoring, Hairdressing, Literacy) in Brobo, Cote d'Ivoire

July 1998 - June 1999

Youth Vocational Training
(Sewing, Weaving, Tailoring, Hairdressing, Literacy)
in Brobo, Cote d'Ivoire