Project profile — MCCC: Vocational Training and Economic Renewal in Désarmes

The Mennonite Central Committee of Canada (MCCC) is working with a local partner, Groupe DéAccord Solidarité Action (GASA), in Haiti to provide vocational learning opportunities for youth in agriculture and the construction trades. The project trains 125 students through the construction of a new vocational school in Désarmes, located in the Artibonite Valley. The new physical infrastructure allows students to develop and apply their skills and contribute to better quality housing and increased food security for their communities. Project activities include: (1) training youth on farmer-centered agricultural techniques and construction trades; (2) building a workshop to give students space to apply their learning; and (3) building a community store to sell agricultural inputs and construction materials.

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Results achieved as of the end of the project November 2012 include: 635 students enrolled in the vocational training school in courses focused on construction, plumbing and agricultural trades. The school saw an annual increase of enrollment from 45 students in 2009 to 257 in 2013. 34 students graduated in 2012 and 14 of them have found full-time employment while the rest hold temporary work. The school has also created the following profitable income generating initiatives to achieve long-term financial sustainability: community store that has so far generated a profit of $3,123; agricultural processing centre with a profit of $2,826 and rearing broiler chicken with a profit of $1,250. The combined income from these and other sources is split 50-50 between reinvestment and allocation for school budget to help cover administration costs including tuition subsidies for needy students. The income generating activities provide services to communities and stimulate local economic growth.