Background:
My research project is an effort to describe the vocational practices in each filed of vocational trades being practice locally in Malakal Area. To describe it and to create links between these practices and the practices at Malakal vocational training centre.
Action research can serve as an important tools to describe these practices, as well as an approach for the locally people.
Objective:
The objective of my research, is to looking for answers for the following questions. What kinds of practices are relevant to the local people (being practice by the local community) and how to link between them and the practices at the Vocational training center(MVTC). What are the building material available locally. What is the quality of these materials compared with the imported ones. How can the MVTC Identify the opportunities out of this research and make use of this information.
Introduction:
Building materials is one of the most challenges for Upper Nile State, especially for Malakal people almost since the independence of Sudan 1956. People are importing the building materials from North Sudan, and this cost the state a lot of money, time and energy.
Due to high cost for transporting these materials. The physical infrastructure is very poor. Almost 80% of the buildings are made of mute and grasses.
In vocational point of view, the high cost of the building materials, result on the high training cost for the building and bricklayer section. And it may reduce the chances for the students to practice their trades and get employment.
My research project is an effort to describe the vocational practices in each filed of vocational trades being practice locally in Malakal Area. To describe it and to create links between these practices and the practices at Malakal vocational training centre.
Action research can serve as an important tools to describe these practices, as well as an approach for the locally people.
Objective:
The objective of my research, is to looking for answers for the following questions. What kinds of practices are relevant to the local people (being practice by the local community) and how to link between them and the practices at the Vocational training center(MVTC). What are the building material available locally. What is the quality of these materials compared with the imported ones. How can the MVTC Identify the opportunities out of this research and make use of this information.
Introduction:
Building materials is one of the most challenges for Upper Nile State, especially for Malakal people almost since the independence of Sudan 1956. People are importing the building materials from North Sudan, and this cost the state a lot of money, time and energy.
Due to high cost for transporting these materials. The physical infrastructure is very poor. Almost 80% of the buildings are made of mute and grasses.
In vocational point of view, the high cost of the building materials, result on the high training cost for the building and bricklayer section. And it may reduce the chances for the students to practice their trades and get employment.
The above mentioned reasons give me more energy to carry on the research, and try to find out the availability of the local materials, and to draw the attention of the local people for these materials available locally.
Research Method:
In my effort to find an answers for my questions. I believe in participatory action research as important means to help me to talk with the people and spend with them more time in dialogue, and interviews.
In the research method I have identified three categories of people whom I should interview, the first one are the sand and gravel producers, the second are the trades in the local market who are sealing these building materials and the third category are the local builder who are using these building material on their daily practices.
Research Method:
In my effort to find an answers for my questions. I believe in participatory action research as important means to help me to talk with the people and spend with them more time in dialogue, and interviews.
In the research method I have identified three categories of people whom I should interview, the first one are the sand and gravel producers, the second are the trades in the local market who are sealing these building materials and the third category are the local builder who are using these building material on their daily practices.
Research tools I used:
1- Participatory Observation: I have been observing the women beside the river and take notes of what they are doing.
2- Record the conversation: I prepared questions for this conversation and I was recording while talking with the people.
3- Photos: after I ask permission from them. I took photos while they are working. I took these photos for my further reflection.
Data analysis:
The objective of my research, I was looking for answers for the following questions. What kinds of practices are relevant to the local community and how to link it with the practices at the Vocational training center. What are the building material available locally. What is the quality of these materials compared with the imported one. How can the MVTC Identify the opportunities out of this research and make use of this information.
I went along the River Nile to see how the sand and gravel are being processed, and if the quality is accepted by the local builder and contractors. And how the availability of these materials can contribute in the training process at the MVTC.
These interviewes show that, the building materials like sand, gravel can be found locally with a reasonable price, compared with the building materials being imported form outside Upper Nile State. Even though the quality is poor but it can be improved.
One of the builder said “the quality of the sand depends on the process. If the processor clean it well he can obtain a good quality relative the same like the one imported from North Sudan”.
The local people who are engaged in this business, some of them are doing it for economic purposes, and if their economic situation improve by any means they may not continue in work.
Due to this also the production is very low. For example there are young boys who are doing this work to get the money for the school fees and buy some clothes, and once they produce the quantity of the sand that will bring them the amount they are in need, they may not come again for this business, until they are in need again.
Deep they get into the river more they can find a clear and clean sand. But the women are having limited access to the sand in the river, the same to the young boys. Do their limit access to the sand in the river result in the quality of the sand they are getting.
I think, there should be in future a means for getting the sand from the river using the modern technology to increase the production of sand and gravel. But what are the consequences of introducing this new technology,what will happen to the local people who are doing this business manually, will it be accepted by the local people or rejected, what are the environmental effects in introducing such technology.
Another good example I found is the building materials sealer Mr. Deng, he sees the business opportunities on not only selling the sand only as a raw material. But in transferring it into a useful product (blocks). By doing so he has created employment and contribute in the availability of the building materials locally. He might be a good example for other trader to follow him.
For me I see many opportunities for the local vocational training centre. But I prefer to put it inform of questions:
1- Those people practicing this trade, sand processing. Can they be given a training that can help to make a good treatment for the sand to enable them to remove the clay elements from the sand?
2- Is it possible, for the Malakal Vocational Training Centre (MVTC) welding and machine shop department to produce wheelbarrow to help these people in transporting the sand from the river to where they dry it?
3- Is the MVTC ready to organize training program for short course in block making?
4- How can the VTC make the link between what is being practice out side, with what they are doing in side?
As I mentioned in the beginning my questions have been answered. But more questions come out as mentioned in the last four questions.
