Varuns has mentioned one example from his experience in India and he that “one of the organization has a plan for water supply to one of the villages, when they asked the villagers what they need they have realized that they don’t want water but shelters, because that was what is important to them”.
He has mentioned also to know what the local community wants and the need to go down to them and approach them not in your way (workshops, Seminars, meetings in five star hotel, etc) but rather to go down to the villages to meet the local community under the trees or any place that is comfortable to them. By doing so they will have the freedom to speak out. And they will feel the self esteem, ownerships etc.
In southern Sudan there is larger number of people without jobs, orphans, widows ….etc. I am asking my self what they need from VTCs available in their areas. Do they want financial assistance, shelter, education or what exactly? Why I am asking such questions is that Upper Nile State is one of the biggest state in south and there is a big number of people but a few are coming to the VTC for training while we expect more to come. They are not engaging in the training may be because they do not know how to write and read or may be it is so far from some of them or may be what we are offering is not what they need.
I am asking my self if the VTCs are satisfying the needs of the local community and what types of the courses to be offered for these people.
There are many cars in Malakal now days. One ex-army comes to us in MVTC asking if we cold offer him driving courses. Then I asked him why he needed a driving course specifically and not auto mechanic training. He said that he had been dismissed from the army due to the peace agreement between South and North and he has a family to support with basic needs and this course will help him to find a job easily.
And they are many examples and experience that show that there is a need for us to consider community needs while planning for the Vocational education programs.
The question now is how TVET meets community needs and what the needs of the local community in the south in general are.
Conclusion:
I think there is a need to let the community in the south has the ownership for TVET.
The step forward is to facilitate to the community in the south to know what TVET is. And let them to identify what is to be consider while we are planning.
To get answers to this question there I need to carry out a research that can include the local communities in South, Industries, and local government, youth and women associations.
