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Vocational Training & Capacity Building
The Knua Buka Hatene ("Place for learning/knowing" in Tetum) Vocational Training Centre opened on 23 November 2001 with four training rooms and one large shed attached for heavy mechanical and carpentry training.
The training centre was built with the support of the CFMEU and 14 construction companies.
It is managed by three local NGOs: the Labour Advocacy Institute for East Timor (LAIFET), Group Feto Foinsae Timor Loro Sa'e (GFFTL) and the Sa'he Institute for Liberation. Since its establishment, it has developed its vision, mission, constitution and training strategies. It has been assisted with resources and skills to design, manage, conduct, monitor and evaluate, and report on vocational training.
Knua Buka Hatene is well regarded as a resource centre for vocational education training and regularly organises training programs in the areas of livelihood security and income generation, both in the Centre as well as in the districts.
The major achievements of KBH's partnership with APHEDA are as follows:
- KBH is well regarded as a venue in Dili for holding nationally important events/discussions for building civil society such as forums on 'truth and reconciliation', national constitution, land reform, women's development, environment and media regulations. It has resources and a system in place to offer the Centre as a venue for other international agencies to organise training and workshops. This provides the Centre with a source of revenue to become self sustaining.
- It has trained 3,554 people in 16 vocational areas such as: carpentry (100), blacksmithing (30), tailoring (170), small business (230), expressional arts (500), literacy and civic education (1,211), organic fertilizer production (222), plough making (150), vegetable production, agriculture and land care. 65 % of trainees are women.
- A total of 175 people were trained as trainers; among them 17 are trainer facilitators within the three members organisations. 158 others were trained as trainers in vocational skills to work in the districts. Of these, 55% are women.
- KBH members were also trained in designing training programs, curriculum, evaluation and report writing.
- KBH regularly receives contracts from other international organisations such as UNICEF, WHO, UNDP, Oxfam, Plan and CONCERN to design, organise and manage training programs. This helps KBH to generate revenue and establish its reputation as a vocational training centre.
- In the absence of a national vocational curriculum, KBH organised a strategic vocational education workshop in Dili with the support of APHEDA advisors.
- Four carpentry groups trained by KBH made furniture for all the schools in East Timor supported by AusAID and Plan International. They have supplied furniture for local organisations, offices and donor funded programs. The success of these groups encouraged other groups to establish carpentry workshops. At present, KBH facilitates 11 carpentry groups located in 9 districts. With APHEDA's support, the carpenters have received excellent training and mentoring by professional carpenters and furniture business people from both Australian and Indonesia. Six carpenters were selected to visit Australia to obtain additional skills to improve the quality of their products and establish links with carpenters and furniture makers.
- The blacksmith groups set up and supported by KBH have redesigned a plough which is suited for the country's topography. This is a first for East Timor. It is gaining in popularity and donors like AusAid are expanding the use of this plough in other parts of the country.
- There are five blacksmith groups successfully recycling scrap metal to make agricultural and household tools. The group in Aileu is nationally recognised and contracted by other agencies to provide training in blacksmithing in East Timor.
- APHEDA provided eight vocational education advisors and trainers to support KBH to develop the Centre. APHEDA facilitated the development of KBH's links with AMES and TAFE colleges in Australia. One KBH board member visited Melbourne and Sydney TAFE, AMES and Australian NGO offices to establish further links. A plan is underway to organise short vocational education training for six KBH staff and members in TAFE Broome and Tasmania.
- A capacity building project between our partner organisation from Indonesia, the Labour Education Centre (LEC), and the KBH Board has been initiated. Two LEC staff provided training to East Timorese staff on strengthening and improving the organisation.
You can support this work in East Timor by becoming a donor today.
Download full report:
Vocational Education Development Donor Report 2005-06 [ pdf ]
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