So, what am I doing here?

So, more details about what I will be doing work-wise. I will be supporting Edward Harris the Vaum Rural Training Center Manager with teaching, operations, recruitment of students (there are none!), teacher training and other income generating projects. The RTC was started in 2005 by Jamie, a past volunteer and since then there has been another teacher but following him, two trainees who went to wokabaot but ETed (early termination) afterwards for various reasons. So…the RTC has not had students for over a year it needs some maintenance. The walls are cinder block grey and too dark…so I hope to paint them white as my first project.

The RTC is essentially a vocational school for the community and school drop outs to learn skills that can be used to sustain the local economy/village. Classes offered include carpentry, business skills, home care (cooking/nutrition, sewing) and mechanics (although we don’t have a teacher yet). I still need to figure out how mechanics works since there are no cars on the island…just boat engines and a few generators. I also didn’t notice much equipment so resources are limited. There is an association that supports RTCs called VRDTCA (they call it vodka essentially :) with teacher modules and how to obtain funding. Graduated RTC students then get certificates from VRDTCA that can be used to strengthen their resume.

Edward and I will be visiting nearby villages to recruit students and I also want to survey locals on what is needed.

We are learning about income generating projects next week and I already plan to do a sewing workshop. I also want to look into a faol (chicken) project in order to build a hen house for chickens to lay eggs and then sell them at the mama’s market along with the crafts from sewing. There is a nearby fisheries board that has an ice machine so that local fishermen can get money for their fresh catches which are flown to Port Vila for sale. There’s also a need for awareness workshops to encourage kava, sandlewood and vanilla growing but it’s more long term. Kava takes 3-5 years to grow!

Sorry, I rambled but I am pumped about the opportunity at the RTC. More on it once I am at site.