Training for Employment and Capacity Building 2001-2006

In February 2006 Union Aid Abroad – APHEDA’s government (AusAID) funded project Training for Employment and Capacity Building 2001-2006 in Lao People’s Democratic Republic came to an end.

Women's tailoring training

With AusAID funding and counterpart donations from the Australian Education Union (AEU) and a generous Union Aid Abroad - APHEDA supporter, this program began with the Lao Women's Union in the capital, Vientiane, and in Luang Prabang province. The annual budget was approximately $170,000 from AusAID and $30,000 counterpart funding from Union Aid Abroad - APHEDA donors.

The main aims of the project were to:

• Build capacity of the Lao Women's Union to deliver quality vocational training that is recognised by Ministry of Education
• Reduce poverty with a particular emphasis on income generation for a target of 1,600 young women through the development of market-orientated skills.

Three Lao Women's Union branches worked as local partners to implement the training: the Vientiane Women's Union, the Luang Prabang Women's Union and the Lao Women's Union National Training for Development Centre. The project also included the Luang Prabang Department of Agriculture and Forestry.

The main achievements of the project were:

• The construction and equipping of four Lao Women's Union training centres.
• The skills development and training of 20 teachers over 4 years in technical subjects and teaching method for vocational training.
• The training of 1,918 trainees (1760 women and 158 men) through 2,144 training places in vocational education for employment and income-generating activities in the fields of tailoring, agriculture, food processing & cooking, hotel service, handicrafts, natural dyeing, weaving and hairdressing.
• Over 90% of the trainees were women, in keeping with the project's objectives of women's empowerment.
• An increase in income for students of an average 93% for all trainees - with some centres achieving an average of 178% before and after training (eg Hadsaifong Centre in Vientiane) from 200,000 kip/month to 570,000 kip/month (A$25 a month to A$72 a month).
• The establishment of a modular curriculum Grade 1 level course (three to four months) in Tailoring, Food Processing, Hotel Service, Natural Dyeing, Weaving and Hairdressing.
• Education in life skills such as HIVAIDS, marketing and health education.
• All Grade 1 courses are in the process of being approved by the Ministry of Education at a level of Professional Standard. It is the first time the Ministry has awarded this accreditation level to an outside organisation.
• The development of teacher and student manuals for all courses.
• Training of managers and staff to administer the training centres and manage students.
• Development of three revolving loan funds for graduates to assist them in developing their own micro-enterprises.

Importantly the benefits for trainees are not just financial. The evaluation shows self esteem, independence for women, their role in family and community are clearly greatly improved by the gaining of the vocational and life skills from the project.

The capacities of the managers and trainers also improved; they now have experience in project and student management, selection, curriculum development, active learning methods and other training quality issues.

Strong linkages have also been developed between the managers of the training centres and Lao Women's Union staff with the Ministry of Education non-formal education system, as well as with Lao Women's Union training centres and vocational education centres in Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam.

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Last Modified: Wednesday, 04-Apr-2007 18:04:38 EST
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